


Motivations

by airmanon



Series: A Cuphead Fanfiction [1]
Category: Cuphead (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 01:09:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 26,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12760017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/airmanon/pseuds/airmanon
Summary: After Cuphead and his brother Mugman defeated The Devil of Inkwell Isle, a woman decides to investigate the reasons why the various residents of the islands made a Deal with The Devil. All the while, those who fell once before are seeking a way to rise again.





	1. Prologue: "Aftermath"

#  Prologue: “Aftermath”

 

Inkwell Isle, a place currently celebrating, for Cuphead and Mugman had recently defeated the Devil who had been making deals with many of the island’s residents. The local paper that operated in Inkwell Island 1 had been attempting to get a chance to interview the heroes, but so too were the papers that operated in islands 2 and 3. One aspiring writer, a female human named Lillia Gemma Morgana, proposed another idea: why not interview the various residents who made those deals with the Devil and learn about the circumstances surrounding their deals. Some of her colleagues laughed at the idea, but her boss simply sighed and said, “If you think you can handle it, Morgana, then sure, you can try.”

Lillia smiled, “Thank you, Mr. Presston. I won’t let you down!”

Mr. Presston handed her a list of all the major residents who Cuphead and Mugman fought and remarked, “I doubt you can get answers for all of them. One has been confirmed dead and another hasn’t been seen since the battle either.”

The woman took the list and replied, “I bet I can get answers for even those two. Who knows? Maybe the Big Bad and his Right Hand Man might be willing to tell their tales.”

One of the other reporters groaned, “Oh, not again! Lillia, you know you’re talking dangerous stuff with that idea! Surely, those two are gone for good! Right, boss?”

Mr. Presston covered his face with one hand, furrowed his brow, and sighed, “Cuphead and Mugman never said that King Dice and the Devil are dead, Jonathan. Only that they won’t bother us for a while. Look, Morgana - I doubt they’ll speak to a girl like you. As for the others, I hope you have a means to defend yourself in case they try to fight you.”

Lillia nodded as she touched the yellow bow that she used in place of a tie on her blouse, “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be able to handle this task.”

Mr. Presston nodded as Lillia headed out. It was early morning and she wanted to get an early start. Jonathan then asked, “You really think the Devil will ignore her?”

The older man slumped in his chair and shook his head, “Quite the opposite, Jonathan. We lucked out that Morgana’s father kept her from going too far from home during this. But ever since he passed away, she’s proven to be too curious about what lurks in those dark places. It’s been great when we knew that there wasn’t much to read into, but there’s a reason why you don’t deal with the devil. I’m just worried that she’s going to do something that we’ll all regret.”


	2. The Root Pack: "Botanic Panic"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillia G. Morgana sets out to interview The Root Pack, but quickly learns that there are those who won't tell what they know without a fight.

#  The Root Pack: “Botanic Panic”

 

Lillia figured that the first place to go to would be the garden where The Root Pack, a trio composed of Moe Tato, Weepy the Onion, and Psycarrot, resided. After all, they were likely the first that Cuphead and Mugman fought. Where else would she start?

When she entered the garden, the three members of the Root Pack were already out of the ground talking to each other. Seemed like they were smaller than when Cuphead and Mugman fought them, but they weren’t exactly as small as the non-sentient vegetables either. If she had to guess, they were about half the size they were when the Cup brothers fought them.

Lillia introduced herself and asked about interviewing the trio. However, when she revealed that it was about the contract, the trio whispered and Psycarrot cackled that she’d have to prove herself. With that, Weepy and Psycarrot went back under the ground and Moe Tato started spitting dirt at her. Lillia then exclaimed, “Hey! Wait a minute!”

She was sidestepping to dodge to the best of her ability, but then Psycarrot popped up from behind and threw a rock that hit her back.

“Ouch,” She groaned as she untied the yellow ribbon on her blouse, “If you guys are going to insist on a fight, then so be it.”

Gripping her ribbon, Lillia wielded it like a whip, whacking the projectiles that the Root Pack were sending at her. Luckily for her, all three of them had some occasional projectiles that could be parried, for while the regular attacks simply nullified, the parry-able ones she could send back at the one who sent it at her thanks to her Ribbon-whip. Eventually, Weepy cried, “Alright, alright! I give!”

Psycarrot grumbled, “Moe, we better stop. She’s no Cuphead, but we’re getting whipped here!”

Lillia sighed in slight amusement at the pun as she tied her ribbon back in place. She then asked, “So just what exactly is going on here?”

Moe grumbled, “We were getting sick of being mistaken for other vegetables all the time.”

Weepy cried, “We didn’t want to get eaten!”

Psycarrot then added, “So when that devil came, we basically asked for powers so that way no one would try to eat us again. That’s how we became giant and we had our powers. Look kid, we just don’t have that much of an interesting story to tell.”

Lillia tilted her head, “But it’s still a story. What caused you to back out of the deal?”

Weepy then said, “I told the others that I didn’t want to take part in it.”

Moe then added, “Besides, we couldn’t exactly walk to that Casino. We’re rooted, after all.”

Psycarrot added, “Since Weepy was the one who didn’t want to go through with the deal, and we of the Root Pack always stick together, we let him hold onto the contract. That’s why those cups couldn’t take the simple fight if they wanted that contract from us.”

Lillia jotted down her notes and smiled, “Thanks. Is there anything else you’d like to add?”

The Root Pack shook their heads no. As Lillia thanked them before heading off, Weepy whispered, “Moe, Psy… I’m scared.”

Moe then asked, “Of what, Weepy? That girl, Lillia?”

Weepy nodded, “When she fought us just now… I couldn’t help but think back to when we were fighting to keep our contract from the cups.”

Psycarrot sighed, “If you’re implying what I think you’re implying, then let’s just hope this isn’t an omen of things to come. Sure the Parry Slap is common, but not many on Inkwell Island have magical abilities of any kind. As far as I know, the only ones who were able to provide magic are Elder Kettle, Pork Rind through his wares, and the Devil himself, and I don’t think that Ribbon came from any of those sources.”

As Lillia was starting to make her way back, she stopped a bit because she realized that she had one issue: she had some trouble dodging, something that she knew that she’d need going forward. She pulled out her coin purse which contained 9 coins. Four of those coins were from before she set out, and the other five came from the fact that she went through one of the Run and Gun sections both to train and to try and open up any paths that she’d need to open for reaching the other residents. When she entered Pork Rind’s Emporium, the first thing she purchased was the Smoke Bomb. That ended up being the only thing she purchased because she couldn’t find what she was looking for: something to help her be able to do basic jumps.

As she left, she was about to decide whether to report back to the office or move forward when Jonathan ran over to her and called out, “Oye, Lillia!”

Lillia then asked, “Jonathan?! What brings you out here?”

Jonathan was holding what seemed to be a lemon-lime flavored energy drink that was unopened. Catching his breath, he then said, “Come on! If you’re doing this yourself, you’re going to need all the help you can get! I asked Elder Kettle if he could help out with your dodging problem and he gave me this potion to give you. He did ask me to let you know that if possible, he’d like you to stop by if you could. Something about the tutorials and whatnot.”

Lillia took the potion that her coworker handed her and she smiled, “Thanks, Jonathan.”

As Lillia gulped down the potion, Jonathan then sighed, “So how’d it go?”

Once Lillia finished the potion (mentally noting that she felt as though electricity now surged through her to some extent), she smiled and said, “It went alright. I did have to fight The Root Pack though and there wasn’t too juicy a story, but something that I could make an article out of if I did some more digging on the matter of the garden as a whole. Is it really true that some people mistook those three for edible vegetables?”

Jonathan laughed, “Lucky for you is that I just finished up my work for the day. I’ll take some extra time to try and look into these extra bits. Just say the word and I’ll see what I can do!”

Lillia smiled, “Thanks. Just don’t try to flirt with any of the female debtors if you can help it!”

Jonathan pouted, “Come on, Lillia! There’s gotta be someone out there! Ever since I broke up with my girlfriend a month ago and learned that she found another man-”

But he cut himself off embarrassed. He then said, “Look, you better get going. I shouldn’t hold you up.”

Lillia smiled and headed off. She was going to visit Elder Kettle before moving forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, considering the whole thing about the weapons in Cuphead being based on various drinks and what exactly Lillia had, I must confess that I may have used anachronisms. Trust me, anachronisms are likely going to show up in later chapters especially. With Lillia's, there was a particular lemon-lime flavored drink that I imagined as the basis for the potion she had.  
> Also, for anyone asking about Jonathan finishing his work for the day despite it being early, let's just say that he normally works at night. Graveyard shift, maybe?


	3. Goopy LeGrande: "Ruse of an Ooze"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite the technical difficulty that is Goopy LeGrande's death, Lillia G. Morgana is determined to find answers. As she goes to visit Elder Kettle, she intends to ask around if anyone knew the Slime enough to give insight on the story that otherwise might be buried.

#  Goopy LeGrande: “Ruse of an Ooze”

As Lillia was on her way to visit Elder Kettle, she decided to look at the list of the ones she intended to interview, but right away she saw a technical difficulty. The next one on her list was Goopy LeGrande, but it was noted that he was confirmed dead. Now, Cuphead and Mugman never intended for that to happen to the blue slime, but something must have happened.

When Lillia arrived at Elder Kettle’s place, she knocked on the door. She was surprised when Cuphead had apparently answered. After the introductions, Lillia admitted that she heard that Elder Kettle wanted to speak with her. As the two went inside, Lillia realized something and asked, “Mugman’s not with you?”

Cuphead snickered as he replied, “He went to Island 3 to visit Cala Maria. I swear, he’s got a crush on her and just doesn’t want to admit it!”

Lillia smiled, “Maybe it’s one of those relations that starts from a friendship and/or he just doesn’t want to be teased.”

Cuphead simply shrugged before dashing ahead to inform Elder Kettle. When Lillia caught up, that was when Elder Kettle explained the reason why he asked her to come by. Apparently, there were some whispers going around about a prophecy. Lillia then asked, “Prophecy?”

Elder Kettle nodded, “Indeed.”

Before he or Cuphead would say more, Elder Kettle asked her to undergo the tutorial considering the potion that she was given. Lillia nodded and headed into the parchment without hesitation. There, she discovered that the potion not only granted her the jumping ability that she hoped to get, but apparently a bit of electrical attacks. However, unlike the Cup brothers, Lillia found that the range on her attacks was much more limited since she had to channel the attack through her Ribbon-Whip. One thing that she figured out was possible was using the other yellow ribbon she had much like a grappling hook of a kind. She was reliant on the terrain to use it, but she figured that it could have its moments.

Once she headed out of the training area, Cuphead was just returning to the room with a scroll. From what the Scroll and Elder Kettle explained, Lillia was a little unnerved by this prophecy - “While many celebrate the two who defeat the demon, a third soul shall explore and fall into the darkness”.

Elder Kettle then said, “I don’t know who that third soul is, but if you end up being the one mentioned, I hope you know to do the right thing.”

Lillia nodded, but she couldn’t help but ask, “Where did you get this scroll?”

Cuphead then explained, “Apparently Captain Brineybeard found it after his ship sent him flying during my battle against him. He gave it to me saying that he had no use for it, but he definitely got a good look at it.”

Lillia thanked them for the heads up, but before she left, she then said, “Actually, there’s one last thing I need to ask. Do you know if there’s anyone around who knows Goopy LeGrande’s backstory?”

Cuphead started laughing and looking at Elder Kettle. Elder Kettle then said, “I know some things, but I’m afraid most of what you’re looking for might be a mystery for the ages.”

Lillia smiled, “It’s alright. Any information would be helpful.”

Elder Kettle then explained, “Well, you see, Goopy LeGrande was always looking to impress everyone and get their attention. As a result, he was trying to become stronger in ways that only hurt him.”

Lillia flinched, “Like how some athletes were using pills to get stronger?”

Elder Kettle nodded, “That’s exactly what Goopy LeGrande was using. Yet for years, it seemed like he wasn’t kicking the bucket. He probably made his deal with the Devil sometime ago.”

Lillia finished writing down her notes then asked, “Is there anything else you’d like to add?”

Elder Kettle shook his head, “That’s about all I know.”

Lillia smiled, “Thank you for everything, Elder Kettle.”

During this conversation though, Cuphead looked outside the window. With a brief “excuse me” Cuphead dashed outside to confront what it was. However, by the time Cuphead got there, he was surprised to see that whatever it was had left. Elder Kettle called out, “Something bothering you, Cup?”

Cuphead then replied, “I think someone was eavesdropping on us, Elder Kettle.”

Lillia then asked, “Who?”

Cuphead shook his head, “I’m not sure if I got a good enough look at who it was, but it looked like an enemy I fought before. I better get Mug and let him know about this.”

Lillia nodded, “Okay, but be careful.”

Cuphead raced off. Elder Kettle said something about Cup being a bit more serious than normal. Lillia thanked Elder Kettle for his time before heading off.

As Lillia dashed off, an individual in purple peeked out from behind the tree he hid at. Ducking back behind the tree to avoid being spotted by a random civilian, King Dice thought, ‘Could that “prophecy” really be true? Such an unusual way for a soul to go…’


	4. Ribby and Croaks: "Clip Joint Calamity"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Lillia heads over to the Clip Joint to speak to the bouncers Ribby and Croaks, suspicions begin to rise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt the need to clarify something, but there are some final boss spoilers. I didn't put a spoiler warning initially because I felt that it was too minor to count, but for anyone who wants to avoid spoilers, skip the end notes.

#  Ribby and Croaks: “Clip Joint Calamity”

Lillia began to dash over to the ship where Ribby and Croaks were said to hang around at. At first, she thought it would be simple. She would walk up to the ship, knock on the door, ask if Ribby and Croaks were around, and then interview them if they were. Simple, right? Alas, things aren’t all that simple. True, Ribby and Croaks were there, but they weren’t really happy to see her. In fact, they attempted to get her to leave… forcefully.

Barely ducking from the first punch, Lillia exclaimed, “Hey! What gives?!”

Ribby replied, “We’ve been hearing from the patrons that a suspicious person has been spotted recently.”

Croaks then added, “And you look rather suspicious, asking about those contracts.”

Lillia protested, “I just came as a reporter for Inkwell Island 1’s paper. What’s so suspicious about that?”

Despite her attempts to talk them down, they were up for a fight, and she had to oblige if she wanted to get anywhere. Luckily for her, they backed down before they were knocked out. Croaks then said, “Okay, we get it. You’re not the suspicious person that people were talking about!”

Lillia, catching her breath, then asked, “Would you mind… telling me more about this?”

Ribby shrugged, “All we know is that the suspicious person wears purple.”

Cue the two boxers face-palming when they realized that Lillia didn’t wear purple at all. Lillia then asked, “If you don’t mind me asking, would you care to explain what lead you two to making a Deal with the Devil?”

Ribby and Croaks looked at each other, then Ribby spoke up, “We weren’t always the fighters you see today.”

Croaks added, “We had the spirit of fighters, but never the strength to back it up, and in the side of the lilypad we were at, that was not good.”

Lillia jotted down notes and asked, “Was it because of these circumstances that you two went for it?”

Croaks nodded, “The Devil promised us the strength we desired.”

Ribby then laughed, “But that first lackey he sent was too weak to really collect! It wasn’t until Cuphead and Mugman entered that the Devil could collect!”

Lillia then asked, “Had the Devil ever tried to take the contract himself?”

The two shook their heads no, “He never even bothered sending King Dice.”

Lillia remembered hearing from Jonathan and Mr. Presston that King Dice was the manager at the Devil’s Casino. She then asked, “Is there anything else you two would like to add?”

The two had nothing more to say on the story, but warned her to be careful because they had no idea on what that suspicious person was after. As Lillia left, she thought, ‘Wait, if the suspicious guy wears purple, and King Dice was noted to wear purple… Nah. There’s no way he’d be creeping around. He’s too classy for that, right?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers: About the lackeys that the Devil sent, those were basically the imps that you see in the boss fight against the Devil.


	5. Hilda Berg: "Threatenin' Zeppelin"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillia is surprised at the identity of the next one she intended to speak to. As she learns how to handle aerial combat, it becomes clear that others are catching on to what's going on just out of Lillia's sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, quick shout-out to VOAdam of Youtube and Whirlwynd of Deviantart. Whirlwynd's comic was where I got the idea of Hilda Berg's day job and VOAdam's video was how I found out about it.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Riev_unpvk (VOAdam's comic dub)  
> https://whirlwynd.deviantart.com/art/Cuphead-Threatenin-Zeppelin-Page-1-710206613 (Whirlwynd's comic)

#  Hilda Berg: “Threatenin’ Zeppelin”

As Lillia was heading to the site of where her next interview would be, she decided to look at the list again. To her surprise, the individual in question was Hilda Berg, the same Hilda Berg who writes the Almanac for Inkwell Island 1’s paper - the same newspaper that Lillia herself works at.

Lillia spotted the person who was in charge of the plane tutorials and asked if she could undergo the tutorial too. Luckily for her, there was a vehicle she could use. It was yellow in color - much like her ribbons.

Just as she exited the tutorial, Lillia saw Hilda Berg. The woman in the red dress smiled and said, “So you’re Lillia, right?”

Lillia nodded, “Yes, but how did you know my name?”

Hilda chuckled, “Jonathan told me that you were going around interviewing the debtors who Cuphead and Mugman freed from the Devil, right?”

Lillia nodded, “I am. Would you mind if I interview you about that matter?”

Hilda nodded, but then grinned, “Yes, but if you don’t mind, I’d like to see how well you’d handle a dog fight first.”

Hilda Berg pulled out a parchment that was of a different material than what Lillia was familiar with. Hilda then said, “I found this sometime before my battle with the Cup brothers. This’ll let you experience the fight that I put up without having to fight me in person. Just hop in when you’re ready.”

Lillia nodded and leaped in. As Hilda waited, she glanced behind her and her face lost the smile. She then glared, “What brings you back here, King Dice?”

A chuckle could be heard as King Dice stepped out from the shadows. The man in the purple suit grinned, “Seems like your senses have sharpened, Ms. Berg.”

Hilda then responded, “Those recent sightings of a suspicious person in purple were sightings of you, weren’t they?”

King Dice, who normally smiled even when angry, pouted, “I’m not a spy or - what did the Phantom Express call them? Ninja? I’m no stealth expert, darling!”

Hilda then asked, “Just what are you after?”

King Dice grinned, “Heard of that prophecy? The one that said that a third soul would fall into the darkness?”

Hilda Berg gasped. King Dice then said, “Looks like you figured it out. That woman with the yellow ribbons seems to be different, doncha think?”

Hilda then clenched her fist, “Whatever you’re up to, Dice, you won’t get away with it!”

King Dice laughed, “We’ll see about that!”

Before Hilda could do anything, King Dice vanished. Lillia had to retry the battle because she wasn’t that used to the flight controls, but the second time was the charm. When she came back out, she then said, “I got it done, Hilda. Huh? Is something wrong?”

Hilda sighed, “I should explain it later. First, you wanted to know why I made that deal?”

Lillia nodded, “Yes. I’m honestly surprised that you were one of the people in question.”

Hilda laughed a little, “I guess you can say I was suffering a bit of boredom. Even without the frustration of not being able to fly on my own, there didn’t seem to be much interesting in the skies. So I guess you can say that through my contract, I became a true witch… minus the - ahem - naughty aspects of witches in those tales.”

Lillia was a little flustered, but she then asked, “Had you by any chance lost control of your powers during the fight with Cuphead and Mugman? And if so, how did that happen?”

Hilda sighed, “I guess it happened because I was more unfocused in what I wanted compared to some of the others. That no-good Devil was trying to put a bit of pressure so I didn’t have time to think on what I wanted from that deal. I guess that what I got in the end was a newfound appreciation of my work as it is.”

Lillia smiled, but it faded as she asked, “So… what was bothering you just now, Hilda?”

Hilda answered, “You might find it crazy, but it looks like King Dice started following you. How he learned of your quest to interview myself and the other debtors is something I don’t know, but if he’s involved, then that means that the Devil is likely trying to comeback. You might be in danger, Lillia.”

Lillia nodded, “Thanks for the warning, Hilda.”

The two had to get going, but they agreed to meet again. Hilda even admitted that she was looking forward to seeing how Lillia’s articles would turn out. Lillia promised to save a copy for her. But while Lillia went on to find the last of the debtors on Island 1 to interview, Hilda Berg went to look for Cuphead. After all, Inkwell Isle might need its heroes again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ack, there's something that I want to clarify, but I'm worried that it's going to hit major spoilers.  
> Regarding the names of the papers - those were admittedly placeholder names. I didn't want to use the name whirlwynd used because I didn't want to rip off the artist. I couldn't think of any actual names though, so the placeholder names stuck.


	6. Cagney Carnation: "Floral Fury"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Lillia goes to visit the last of the debtors on Inkwell Island 1, it appears that she's not the only one trying to investigate a mystery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, the thing about those parchments that lead to boss fights, I mainly threw them in for the sake of enabling fights to happen. Also, is it just me, or is it that fans like to depict Cagney Carnation as not being on the best of terms with Cuphead?

#  Cagney Carnation: “Floral Fury”

Lillia looked over her list. According to the notes that Jonathan provided, the last one she needed to interview on that island was Cagney Carnation. Before she went there, she did take a detour to visit the place where Goopy LeGrande fought Cuphead and Mugman. There, she found another parchment like the one that Hilda had her use in a fight, but that one had an image of Goopy on it. Hopping inside, Lillia did get a chance to fight Goopy, and to her surprise, Goopy seemed to be able to speak with her. This gave her a chance to check with him on the data that Elder Kettle provided. Goopy confirmed it, but added that specifically his deal involved coming back from the dead. He then grumbled, “Apparently, I failed to catch the clause that said that if my tombstone was defeated, then my time would be up and my soul would be collected with the contract. But you never know! I might just come back to life some other way!”

Lillia shrugged, “Who knows? Not me, but thanks for letting me know about this, Goopy.”

Goopy grinned, “Anytime!”

When Lillia came back out, she carefully pinned the parchment to enable a potential training ground. But she then hurried over to visit Cagney.

When she got there though, Cagney was none-too-happy to see her, and for some reason Cuphead was there. Cagney then asked, “Whatever happened to your brother, Cuphead?”

Cuphead replied, “He and I split up to cover more ground. If King Dice is back, I need you to tell me what you know.”

Cagney growled, “I’m telling you, I don’t know anything!”

The big flower then took notice of a parchment near him and he tossed it at Cuphead. Lillia called out, “Cuphead, watch out!”

Too late. The parchment sucked the two of them inside. Cuphead then asked, “What is this?!”

Lillia then said, “Looks like a boss fight incoming. Hilda mentioned that parchment like this seems to enable boss fight rematches.”

Cuphead turned and saw Lillia. The cup then said, “It’s you again. Guess you came for an interview with that big flower?”

Lillia nodded, “Guess we’re going to have to fight that boss if he’s going to talk… right?”

Cuphead nodded just before the Cagney in the parchment appeared.

It took a few tries for the two to succeed, namely because this was the first time Lillia fought alongside another and Cuphead wasn’t exactly used to Lillia’s more close-ranged fighting style. Despite this, the two were able to pull it off, and when Cagney saw the two come back, he then exclaimed, “What happened to you two?!”

Lillia then answered, “That parchment lead to a boss fight against you.”

Realizing that the two won somehow, Cagney said, “Alright, I’ll tell you what I know. It looked like King Dice might’ve been there. I couldn’t tell since he kept his distance and was trying to hide - odd of that Dice-block head to do. Said something about some prophecy watchamacallit and that he should tell his boss.”

Cuphead gulped and then quickly excused himself, saying that he had to tell Mugman. Lillia then asked Cagney about what happened before. Cagney then said, “Oh, right, you’re the girl that’s been going around asking everyone about why they made those contracts.”

Lillia nodded, “Lillia G. Morgana’s my name, but you can just call me Lillia.”

Cagney chuckled, “Well, simply put, I saw the damage that the industrialization of Island 3 was doing to the environment and wanted to do something about it. But what could a flower do, right? I still don’t get why she thought that she could do something about it by going into the place itself. Could she really change it from within?”

Lillia then asked, “She?”

Cagney answered, “A friend of mine. You’ll meet her, I’m sure. She’s one of the other debtors. I don’t have anything more to say. Besides, you better hurry.”

Lillia went, “Eh? Why should I hurry?”

Cagney cackled, “Perhaps that prophecy is saying that if the third soul can’t get those answers in the same time limit the cup brothers had, then she would fall into the darkness and lose her soul.”

Lillia then exclaimed, “Oh geez! I better get going then. Thank you for your time, Cagney Carnation. See ya!”

Lillia ran off, but she barely heard Cagney call out, “Hey, I was just kidding about the time limit!”

When Lillia got some distance, she took a moment to catch her breath. She felt a little silly for falling for that joke Cagney pulled, but she was one who took things seriously a lot. She checked the list and smiled, for it looked like she got everyone on Island 1. She thought about going back to submit her notes, but she shook her head. Lillia thought, ‘Why not? Might be a nice challenge to get those interviews done, and there’s plenty of daylight left!’

With that, Lillia headed forward. For the first time, she was going to truly leave Inkwell Island 1.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, that bit about a friend that Cagney mentioned... Okay, I'll have to clarify because I'm sure anyone looking at the tags can see who he's referring to.  
> Admittedly, I was trying to keep it ambiguous as to whether the relation between Cagney and Rumor was just a friendship or something closer. That's why I didn't initially note the two. However, unlike other cases where I noted a couple of characters as friends, I felt that the way I depicted these two seemed to lean furthest towards being closer than just friends that I felt the need to add it in. However, the ships aren't meant to be the main focus of this story.


	7. Interlude: "Rumors"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillia begins to head towards Inkwell Island 2 for the first time, but takes a moment to look around the Die House.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: I don't think I really captured the speech patterns of some of the characters - King Dice especially. If possible, I may want to go back and edit some of the dialogue so that way the characters are in fact speaking in ways that would make sense.

#  Interlude: “Rumors”

Lillia looked at the red dice-block building that separated Inkwell Island 1 from Inkwell Island 2. True, she heard that other methods of going between islands were being worked on after what happened, but the small building had a kind of charm that Lillia couldn’t help but decide to traverse. After all, she thought, ‘Cuphead and Mugman had to go through these Die Houses to go between islands. If I want to try and fully understand what the debtors had to go through, why not follow their lead by stepping through these places?”

She was surprised to find a hidden restroom inside the Die House. It was a bit away from the path between islands, and it wasn’t anything special - more like a public restroom than anything fancy. Lillia decided to step inside it to fix her hair bun which had gotten a little messy with all the running around she was doing. As she was tying her yellow hair ribbon again, she glanced behind her. She thought she heard something and decided to ask, “Is someone there?”

She heard no response - just the jazzy music that she hadn’t paid attention to before. Lillia couldn’t help but find it catchy to where she began to hum along to it as she readjusted her glasses and finished up in the restroom. She smiled and accidentally spoke aloud, “Gotta hand it to King Dice; he sure knows how to make a catchy theme song.”

What Lillia didn’t realize was that someone had taken notice. As Lillia headed out of the Die House into Inkwell Island 2, King Dice noted, “I’ve never seen anyone attempt something like this since Cupface and Mugboy… I better tell the boss about this.”

Meanwhile, in Inkwell Hell, The Devil was trying to figure out how to get business going again. Ever since he lost to Cuphead and Mugman, no one was really coming into the casino from the surface. And what’s with this gossip of a woman going around asking about the deals he made? As far as he knew, everyone would rather move past all of that. Was it that bogus prophecy that Captain Brineybeard found written on a scroll? When he saw his right-hand man return, he asked, “News from the surface, Dice?”

King Dice grinned as he pulled out a photo, “The rumors are true. There really is someone going around looking into this. She already finished speaking with all them debtors on the first island!”

The Devil looked at the photo and frowned, “She looks a bit like that Morgana.”

King Dice put his hand on his chin and remarked, “Yes, I think that’s the name that’s been floating around, though she refers to herself as Lillia it seems. You know her, boss?”

Devil shook his head and grinned, “No, but I remember her father had attempted to cut off chances to get souls by convincing people to believe that I don’t even exist! Rather convenient for me that he fell ill and died before he could really get anything going. So this Lily’s his daughter?”

King Dice replied, “Gotta be, boss. Looks to be around the age to be so and we don’t really know of any other on these islands with a last name like Morgana, right?”

The Devil laughed, “This might be the windfall we need, Dice! Keep an eye on her to see if she’s got the potential! This so-called prophecy might be of benefit to us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, regarding what the Devil told Dice, I think it's really obvious on what they're plotting.


	8. Baroness Von Bon Bon: "Sugarland Shimmy"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillia enters Inkwell Island 2 and begins to look for the debtors on that island to speak to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: This ended up being one of the longest chapters I wrote. I think it's safe to say that I had a lot of fun writing Baroness Von Bon Bon's story for this fic.  
> Also, shoutout to karlaDraws14 for the idea of shipping Baroness Von Bon Bon with Cuphead and Cala Maria with Mugman. https://karladraws14.deviantart.com/  
> I felt that this chapter is the best place to bring it up because this really was the first place where the shipping does step inside.

# Baroness Von Bon Bon: “Sugarland Shimmy”

Lillia looked around in amazement when she stepped into Inkwell Island 2. She never understood why her father wanted her to stay on Island 1. So long as she didn’t cross the tracks, she would’ve been fine, right? But she shook her head as Lillia needed to keep focused on her job. But where to start her interviews for this island?

Before she could make up her mind, someone bumped into her. She turned to face who it was and she was surprised, for it was Mugman. Mugman quickly let out an apology, and Lillia then said, “It’s alright. I wasn’t paying attention.”

After the introductions, Mugman mentioned that he was looking for Cuphead. Lillia admitted that last she recalled, Cuphead was looking for him. Mugman nodded, “I’m aware of that, but he didn’t show up at the rendezvous point - wait, I think I know where he went.”

Lillia was surprised, and followed Mugman to where a woman dressed like a noble lady just finished showing off her skills as a marksman to an audience. As the audience was leaving, Lillia and Mugman saw that Cuphead was there speaking to the lady. Mugman grinned, “I had a feeling that you’d be here when you didn’t show up at Pork Rind’s Emporium, brother.”

Cuphead flinched, “M-Mugman! Sorry about that. Got distracted and-”

“And you tease me about my relationship with Cala Maria,” Mugman interrupted. Cuphead’s face seemed to turn red. The lady, Baroness Von Bon Bon, laughed a noblewoman’s laugh, clearly amused. Lillia spoke up, “Um, excuse me?”

The brothers were too busy talking to each other, but Baroness Von Bon Bon heard and said, “Ah, good morning!”

After the introductions, Lillia mentioned that she came hoping to ask her some questions. Baroness Von Bon Bon solemnly nodded and said, “Ah yes. Cupsy told me about you.”

Lillia asked, “Cupsy?”

Baroness Von Bon Bon covered her mouth at the realization of what she said, and Cuphead was equally flustered. Lillia then spoke, “Nevermind. I won’t press that matter.”

Seemed like the two sighed in relief. Mugman went to look around to see if there was any trouble while the other three went to where they could talk with a bit more privacy. Inside, Baroness Von Bon Bon then sighed, “I guess it’s time I shared my story, if only to truly put my past behind me.”

Lillia then said, “I’m sorry if this is troubling you, milady.”

Baroness Von Bon Bon chuckled, “No, no. It’s alright. But I won’t sugarcoat this: You better take some notes.”

Lillia nodded. Thus, the Baroness began her tale.

“The whole mess started before I was even born. My ancestors were the leaders of a barony on the Inkwell Islands. There once may have been a time when my family name would have been known throughout the land, but it was on a long and slow decline. Sadly, by the time I was beginning to grow up, my father had basically rung the death knells of that domain. As if the shift away from monarchical rule wasn’t already enough of a factor declining it, my father the Baron had squandered the wealth that was saved up for if an emergency happened. I was old enough to start working so I jumped into working at the amusement park in order to support the family… which was basically down to my father and I since my mother broke up with him and left. I’m not sure what drove her to leave, but I distinctly remember my father accused her of spending time with another man. From my understanding, I might have a younger sibling, but he, she, or they are someone I never met because they never entered the world before my mother’s departure. I never made contact with her since. However, after that day, I found that my father started spending even more to where it was cutting into the funds I was making. One night, I decided that I had enough and secretly followed him to find out just what he was wasting the coins on, especially since he never seemed to come back with anything other than some nasty smell. Eventually, I found that cursed place: the Devil’s Casino. Turned out, he was smoking, drinking, and gambling on the derby races! He was on such a massive loss streak that he was constantly in risk of falling into debt had it not been for the fact that I was working long and hard. I was so mad, I ended up shouting, ‘Father! You’ve been going here the whole time?!’

I’m guessing that he was drinking too much at the time, for he was enraged seeing me there and wasn’t even acting like himself.”

Lillia’s eyes widened, for she thought that her relationship with her own father had gotten rocky, “What happened?”

Baroness Von Bon Bon sighed, “He just straight up tried to attack me! All I had with me was my candy-cane shot-gun and out of self-defense, I fired.”

The woman in pink gripped Cuphead’s hand while trying to suppress tears, “I tried to fire a warning shot, but instead, it hit him. My father’s head was blown off that night…”

Lillia was stunned, “I’m sorry.”

Baroness Von Bon Bon called, “You had nothing to do with it!”

Lillia then gently remarked, “But it must be painful talking about it.”

Cuphead then said, “Besides, you needed to protect yourself. I understand it must be tough though.”

The baroness hugged Cuphead and said, “Thank you.”

Lillia then asked, “If you’re okay with continuing, what happened after that?”

Baroness Von Bon Bon then wiped tears from her eyes before she continued, “Well, naturally, the sound of a gunshot alerted that sleazy manager, King Dice, for he immediately ran in, asking what was going on. He took a moment looking at the sight of my father and I before realizing part of the picture. He seemed to have been irked, but I ended up gripping my cane and said, ‘It was self-defense, sir! He was going to attack me!’

That manager seemed surprised as he asked if that man was a relative. I admitted that he was my father. He seemed to be alright with the fact that it was self-defense, but when I questioned him for details on what my father was up to, he revealed just how bad his debts were. I lucked out in that I had enough coins on hand to pay off all of his debts, but I was basically left with nothing. King Dice tried to get me to take part in the gambling there, but I refused, telling him that after paying off my father’s debts, I had no coins left for the place that ruined him.”

Lillia nodded. She wanted to say something, but part of her didn’t want to interrupt. Baroness Von Bon Bon then continued, “As for how I ended up in that deal? Well, there’s one complication: I had no idea that the Devil actually existed. I always assumed at the time that King Dice was the owner and that the whole Devil name was simply for aesthetics. I ended up proven wrong five nights after my father’s death. By that time, I was basically in ruins. Work wasn’t paying much and with my father having sold off much of what truly marked my home as a barony, I was alone in an empty cake castle. It was cold and lifeless. One night, I was looking at my cane. I was starting to think that I would have to become a soldier if I wanted a chance to retake the glory and honor of my house; even then, it might not work because the islands seemed to be at peace. But then, through the windows, I saw the shadow of a figure. It looked like a monster with two horns trying to come off as a dashing rogue or something. Despite his attempt at charm, the stormy night along with the surprise appearance lead me to screaming. Alas, nobody heard me, except for that demon who appeared. I accidentally fired a shot on impulse, but he shrugged it off. It was the Devil himself. He didn’t seem to be making much of a move until I began to calm down.”

Lillia then asked, “Was that the night you made the deal?”

The baroness nodded, “Yes. He spoke to me about what happened. He offered the chance to undo my father’s death. However, I decided that instead of asking for my father’s life back, I would instead ask to restore life to the barony that had fallen to ruin because of him. He tried to tempt me to consider his original offer by saying that I could give him my father’s soul instead of my own as the price to pay. I responded by saying that I’d lose my head if I had to put up with that monster after he tried to attack me. In all honesty, I think the Devil suggested that on purpose to get my soul on the deal.”

Lillia, although her eyes hinted fascination, gulped, “The Devil would use that kind of trickery?”

The Baroness nodded, “You sound like you never met the demon, Lillia. He’s a trickster and a cheater. Taking advantage of my desperate desire to relive the days when I could’ve been respected as a real noblewoman to try and get a lock on my soul. When I realized what he did, I was enraged. I was not going to just hand my soul over. If he wanted it, he would have to fight for it! He came without his trident intending to collect and believing that my soul would be easy to collect. He probably thought that I was like those princesses who would be helpless without a nobleman who can fight by her side, but he realized that I decided to use what that deal gave me to my advantage. Those courtiers that came under my reign as a result of the contract weren’t really fighters when they came, but I trained them to be my knights to defend the realm.”

With a dreamy sigh, Baroness Von Bon Bon admitted, “Yet somehow I started to realize that the one who I truly would want as my champion ended up being the one who defeated me and took my contract. Something about his confidence despite the hopelessness of his situation proved charming to me, but I couldn’t show it at the time. After all, I was worried that the Devil might’ve sent this one to charm me into taking my soul to the monster, and I was simultaneously riled up by the fact that he managed to defeat me.”

Cuphead blushed. Regaining her composure, Baroness Von Bon Bon then said, “I believe I told you everything that I have to say. Is this enough to answer your questions?”

Lillia beamed, “Yes. I feel honored, milady! Thank you so much!”

After Lillia left, Baroness Von Bon Bon then gripped Cuphead’s hand. Cuphead then asked, “Something wrong, Bon Bon?”

Baroness Von Bon Bon then replied, “Cuphead, Lillia may have been shocked at what she learned, but it didn’t seem like she was afraid. In fact, I dare say she looked intrigued.”

Cuphead then asked, “Intrigued? By what the Devil could do?”

Baroness Von Bon Bon nodded, “For someone like her who seems to be such a nice person to be the one from that prophecy? I fear that, if nothing can stop this and she really does fall into the Devil’s hands, then she might become a foe more dangerous than many you faced before. After all, they say to beware the nice ones.”

Cuphead nodded, “Don’t worry. Even if that prophecy comes to pass, I won’t let it bring everything to ruin.”

Baroness Von Bon Bon kissed Cuphead on the cheek, “Thank you. And I promise that I’ll do what I can. I can’t stand by the sidelines anymore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regarding the question of if Baroness Von Bon Bon has a younger sibling, I left it ambiguous on purpose. Such a character has no real impact on Motivations, but I might add such a character if there is enough interest both in seeing such a character and if there's interest in seeing a sequel to Motivations. The way things are, I can't add this character in Motivations.


	9. Djimmi the Great: "Pyramid Peril"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillia goes to visit Djimmi the Great to get some insight on what happened with him and the Boss Parchments start to show a little more of their properties.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to Low Mana Gaming, as one of their videos was the basis for some bits of knowledge that get brought up in this chapter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVaHl8Z4NDg if you want to check out the video in question.

#  Djimmi the Great: “Pyramid Peril”

As Lillia was making her way to the pyramid where she believed that the next one to interview would be, she took notice that a few civilians seemed to take a look at her and then shy away… almost as though she was giving off an intimidating aura. Lillia would’ve wanted to ask if something was wrong, but she remembered that she had to keep focused on her goal.

Soon, the woman spotted the genie known as Djimmi the Great. He seemed to be looking at a parchment with a great deal of confusion. Lillia approached and introduced herself. After a short talk, Djimmi agreed to tell his tale if she could help him figure out what that parchment was about. Lillia was about to explain it, but when she touched the page, she found herself sucked in and having to go through the aerial boss fight against the parchment’s version of the genie.

Djimmi was surprised, but he found that he was able to see her progress by looking at the parchment. Once Lillia finished up and got out of the parchment, Djimmi admitted that he understood along with pointing out that he was able to watch her battle through that paper. Lillia asked if Djimmi was able to enter it, but when he revealed that he couldn’t, Lillia admitted, “Now I’m suddenly wondering how Hilda Berg managed to figure out what that parchment was about. If she couldn’t enter the parchment that matched with her boss fight, then who could have entered it?”

Djimmi simply shrugged. In regards to the story, it didn’t seem to be as juicy of a story as the one that Baroness Von Bon Bon gave, but like everyone else, Lillia still took diligent notes. It seemed like Djimmi’s wish wasn’t quite the freedom that Jonathan once speculated, but it was similar. As Djimmi explained, genies where he came from had some access to magic outside of genie duties, but it was very basic stuff like flight, turning to and from a smoke-like form, and very simple magic for self-defense and such. In order to access their full power, a genie could only do so through fulfilling their duties. However, Djimmi had an interest in entertaining, which lead him to move to Inkwell Island 2 in the hopes that he could get a job in the amusement park. Lillia asked if he knew Baroness Von Bon Bon and any of the others who worked at the amusement park because of this and Djimmi nodded, “That is correct, but admittedly, it was more like Beppi the Clown met me and from there I ended up meeting Wally Warbles.”

Lillia then asked, “What about Baroness Von Bon Bon?”

Djimmi replied, “I met her three days before the night where she went out to find out what her father was up to. I asked if something was wrong, but she didn’t seem to want to bother me about it. It was only after she made her deal that she told me about what was happening.”

Lillia then asked, “By the sounds of it, you and Baroness Von Bon Bon seem to have some sort of bond. Was it a relationship or not really?”

Djimmi laughed a little, “No. Just friends due to being colleagues. I once asked her about it, but we both agreed that we’d rather just be friends.”

Lillia then asked, “What happened when you found out about what was going on?”

Djimmi then said, “Thing is, at the time, I was getting desperate trying to prove myself. I was getting worried that I’d be fired. Since Baroness Von Bon Bon seemed to have suddenly been doing much better, I decided to ask her. She did admit that she made that Deal with the Devil, but even though that was what gave me the idea to consider it, she was actually trying to warn me against it. Saying that I might regret it. I told her that while I appreciate her concern, ultimately I wanted to decide for myself. She didn’t try to stop me after that.”

Lillia then asked, “So what exactly did you wish for?”

Djimmi then said, “The ability to access my full powers outside of the duties of a genie. I already knew that I had powers, but in order to entertain everyone, I felt that I needed to draw upon them at will.”

Lillia then asked, “Had anyone ever tried to make a wish for you to be able to do that through the genie duties?”

Djimmi lowered his head and sighed, “Trust me, Lillia. That was attempted. Obviously, a genie can’t use the wish system to make wishes on themselves and I’m not really sure if it works on other genies either. That’s one of the first things a genie learns in genie school, and even if a genie can make a wish to help another genie in this manner, I don’t think other genies would be willing to help me out in that regard, even if they were nearby.”

Lillia then asked, “Had you asked some of your coworkers to help out?”

Djimmi laughed a little, “Yes, actually. Baroness Von Bon Bon, Beppi the Clown, and Wally Warbles all tried to use the wish to pull this off, but it didn’t work, and wishing for a genie to be free wouldn’t work since I still would be locked out of using my full power. This admittedly happened before the Baroness made her deal with the Devil.”

Lillia then asked, “What about Grim Matchstick?”

Djimmi shook his head, “I had no idea that Grim Matchstick was on this island until after Cuphead and Mugman finished getting all of the contracts on this island. Of the four debtors besides Grim, only Wally really knew of Grim’s existence and the two of them weren’t on good terms with each other. In fact, Beppi would have had a better chance to know about Grim because of his friendship with Wally.”

Lillia then asked, “How has it been after what happened? After Cuphead and Mugman fought you, I mean.”

Djimmi responded, “In all honesty, by the time the two of them came by, I was starting to regret my decision. In the nights leading up to when the Devil would’ve collected my soul, I was plagued by nightmares of what was going to happen to me, and the damage I could’ve dealt if I served the Devil. To prevent such devastation, I decided to back out as best as I could. Alas, it seemed like the soul contract prevented the easy solution of wishing that the contracts were nullified. Trust me, the four of us thought of that as our first way to stop the Devil. But even if I never made that deal with the Devil, I don’t think I’d be able to grant that wish.”

Lillia inquired, “Why not?”

Djimmi shook his head, “I may have graduated from genie school, but I was never the strongest Djinn, or genie as many in Inkwell Isle would say.”

Lillia thought she remembered her dad mentioning that term and she asked, “Does Ifrit also refer to genies or is it something else entirely?”

Djimmi smiled, “Yes, but not all Djinn are Ifrit.”

Lillia then quickly added, “I’m sorry, I went off-topic. Is there anything else you’d like to add?”

Djimmi then shook his head, “Not regarding my story, but if you’re going to be interviewing everyone, I should warn you that Beppi has been acting a bit on edge ever since word of that prophecy got here. I don’t think he’s all that keen on being interviewed.”

Lillia smiled, “I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for your time.”

After parting ways, Lillia looked at the list. Even though Djimmi warned her, Lillia knew that she would have to talk to the clown at some point. With a sigh, Lillia remarked, “I should probably get that one out of the way. Maybe if I keep the questions to a minimum, he won’t mind so much?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for anyone who was expecting a Baroness Von Bon Bon x Djimmi the Great ship. I already jumped on the idea of Baroness Von Bon Bon x Cuphead, didn't want to mess with the love triangle concept if I could help it (as that might detract from the story itself), and I honestly imagined that the two were just friends.  
> Also, that bit about Lillia giving off an intimidating aura? This admittedly is a case where astrology kinda seeps in. Namely, this relates to the idea known as the Midheaven, or MC. I imagined that Lillia's Midheaven was in the sign of Scorpio which is a major reason why she's willing to investigate what others would see as potentially darker materials (how would deals with the devil not be seen as dark?). I just hope I portrayed that accurately though.


	10. Beppi the Clown: "Carnival Kerfluffle"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite being warned, Lillia decides to speak to Beppi the Clown, but not everyone really wants to speak.

#  Beppi the Clown: “Carnival Kerfluffle”

Lillia stepped by the abandoned roller coaster. Something about the place was giving her the creeps. Things just went downhill when Beppi the Clown showed up. Not only was he not going to talk without a fight, but it seriously was looking to Lillia that he wanted her dead unlike the others who fought her. Eventually, the clown fled due to injuries from her electric abilities and her Ribbon-Whip.

Lillia was taking a moment to catch her breath. She was horrified. Not only did it seriously look like Beppi the Clown was trying to kill her like the monster clowns of horror stories trying to kill their victims, but his decision to flee meant that she had no chance to get any answers.

Slumping just outside of the entrance to where she fought the balloon-headed clown, Lillia sighed, “Now what am I going to do?”

A male voice that Lillia didn’t recognize then spoke, “Well, looks like you got yourself in a pickle there, darling!”

Lillia called out, “Who’s there?!”

As no one was nearby, Lillia was on edge. The figure popped up from a hole that magically appeared and introduced himself. Lillia gasped, “King Dice?!”

“Shh!” King Dice hushed, “Don’t want to cause a stampede now, do ya?”

Lillia shook her head, “No, but what brings you all the way out here, sir?”

King Dice handed her a parchment and said, “I heard you’ve been trying to learn more about them debtors and thought I’d give you this to help ya out. Don’t worry. It’s on the house!”

Lillia held the parchment and said, “Thanks.”

Before she could say anything, Kind Dice disappeared through the hole again.

As Lillia was entering the parchment, Djimmi and Bon Bon were having words with Beppi. Bon Bon then shouted, “Why’d you try to kill her, Beppi?! You asking for trouble to come for you or something?!”

Beppi protested, “She’s gonna be more trouble for us all if we leave her alive!”

Djimmi face-palmed, “Even if she’s doomed to fall into darkness, are we sure that there’s no way out of it?”

Beppi shook his head, “Come on! She may know how to fight, but she’s no Cuphead! You two surely noticed how she’s shied away from fighting. She won’t have the resolve needed to fight the Devil!”

Bon Bon sighed, “Still thinking back to how you accidentally scared so many people away despite your desire to entertain?”

Beppi sputtered, “You told her, Djimmi?!”

Djimmi then shook his head, “No. I only told Wally Warbles like you asked me to. He probably told Bon Bon at some point before Cuphead and Mugman came for our contracts.”

Beppi pouted, “Ah yes, Wally. Able to be just as cuckoo as I was. That’s how we became friends. I remember after wishing to be able to entertain despite my tendencies, I was having too much fun to really show up for when it was time to collect. Don’t know why the Devil never bothered to send anyone after me until Cuphead and Mugman.”

Lillia was able to get the information she sought from the parchment, but as she stepped out, she began to wonder just what those parchments were and how King Dice could’ve gotten his hands on them. As for Beppi? Well, Djimmi finally got him to calm down, but the clown did warn that they might one day see that girl again under the Devil’s service.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About the fact that Beppi tried to stop Lillia? I liked the idea that there was at least one character who fully realized what was going to happen and trying to stop it, but ends up failing to communicate it at the point where it mattered. Beppi in this case is that character, but his decision to end Lillia was the thing that caused her to fail to catch what he was trying to point out, and while he did inform Baroness Von Bon Bon and Djimmi the Great, by that point, Lillia didn't catch the message and was on her way.


	11. Wally Warbles: "Aviary Action"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How is Lillia going to get information when the one she's looking for hasn't been seen in a while and the other individual who would likely have answers clearly made the point that he doesn't want to talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ended up being one of the shorter chapters I wrote.

#  Wally Warbles: “Aviary Action”

Lillia headed over to where Wally Warbles was last seen. She only found a parchment pinned to a sign. This was basically another boss rematch. However, she wasn't able to get any information from the big bird.

As Lillia was thinking about heading to Grim Matchstick, she quickly ducked behind a tree. Djimmi was talking to Beppi again.

Djimmi asked, “Still miss Wally?”

Beppi nodded, “He was one of the only ones I know who found me funny even before the contract. I still remember when he came to me hoping that I could help him after the loss of his mate.”

Djimmi noted, “Ah, yes, that ended up leading to his Deal with the Devil, right?”

Beppi replied, “I spoke with him about that wish, and he told me that he wished that there would always be someone to care for him. I think that might have been when Wally Jr. and the medic songbirds started showing up.”

Lillia gasped. She was furiously scribbling down those notes. No wonder it seemed like there were no signs of those birds after the battle! However, even though Beppi left at that point, Lillia was so busy taking notes that she didn't notice Mugman right behind her before he remarked, “Really, Lillia? Eavesdropping to get information?”

Lillia was startled and the noise she made alerted Djimmi. It was… an awkward conversation, but luckily for her, Lillia was able to use the information she gathered so long as she didn't do it again and she decided to list it as being under a source that wished to be anonymous.

However, as she was heading off, Mugman folded his arms and asked, “Is Lillia really from Inkwell Isle?”

Djimmi thought a moment and remarked, “I think I recall a colleague of hers saying that her father was from a distant land. He wasn't really fond of going far from home for any reason besides work though, which might explain why she seems so different.”

Mugman frowned, “Which might explain why it seems blatantly obvious that she's the one mentioned in that prophecy.”

But then Mugman smiled, “On the other hand, what if it turns out that trying to get her Soul was a bad idea for the Devil because of how different she is?”

Djimmi shrugged and shook his head, “We can hope, but there's no way to tell.”

Mugman nodded, “True. Besides, if that Devil's underlings are coming to the surface, then they might cause trouble for everyone, prophecy or not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, admittedly, I did kind of imagine something that could be seen as Beppi the Clown x Wally Warbles, but I felt that there isn't enough going on to really call it anything beyond a friendship. That's why I didn't tag it.


	12. Grim Matchstick: "Fiery Frolic"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillia visits the last of the debtors on Island 2.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one ended up being surprisingly short. Maybe it's because I wasn't sure if I could really pull off Grim's speaking lines.  
> Also, I had apparently misspelled Grim's name as Grimm. I tried to correct it, but it's a thing that happened.

#  Grim Matchstick: “Fiery Frolic”

Lillia made her way to the tower where the dragon Grim Matchstick resided. Many had speculated that the big dragon was lonely which lead to his contract. However, Lillia wanted to know why he was lonely, what he wished for, and why he backed off from his contract with the devil. She just hoped that she didn’t have to fight the big dragon though. Unfortunately for her, it seems like King Dice decided to troll her by placing the matching parchment right where she would’ve inevitably stepped on it, causing her to fall into the boss fight.

Needless to say, it took her a few tries. By the time she got out of that parchment, Grim Matchstick had already peeked outside to see if anyone was there.

As Lillia was talking to Grim, it was pretty obvious that he made the deal because he was lonely. However, it seemed like the combination of his stuttering and the fear that dragons once struck was what started this bit of loneliness.  Lillia then asked, “But what was it that prompted you to back out of the deal? Wasn’t there a saying about going to Heaven for the climate or Hell for the company?”

Grim nodded, but pointed out that when he wished for friends that won't abandon him, he never thought about having multiple heads! The dragon explained that he felt like the Devil cheated on him and as such, Grim didn't think that he should give up his Soul.

Lillia nodded, and as she was taking notes, she inquired, “Djimmi the Great mentioned that you and Wally Warbles never got along. Would you be okay with explaining that a bit?”

Grim shrugged, “I d-d-don’t know. I-I-I th-think Wally was complaining about a dragon who has issues with birds.”

Lillia tilted her head, “I think I remember hearing about a dragon who said 'It’s always the birds!’ but he was saying that in reference to games and you're not that dragon!”

The two talked a bit longer, but soon Lillia took notice of the time and sighed, “I’m really sorry, but I need to get going. I really appreciate your taking the time and I promise that I'll visit again.”

Grim Matchstick was a bit saddened, but hopeful when Lillia promised to come again. As Lillia was leaving, the dragon was surprised when he saw Hilda Berg quickly race by trying to catch up to the other woman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, a shoutout to Roahmmythril. That's how I got the whole idea of Wally Warbles and Grim Matchstick not getting along.


	13. Interlude: "Caution"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Lillia approaches Inkwell Island 3, someone she met catches up to give her a heads up.

#  Interlude: “Caution”

Lillia was taking a moment to catch her breath inside the Die House connecting Inwell Islands 2 and 3. She was surprised at how quickly things were going. The day still wasn’t over yet, and she managed to get two-thirds of the list done! Once she got all the data she needed, she was going to start writing the articles that she planned to make.

As she was reviewing her notes on her interview with Grimm Matchstick, she heard footsteps and she turned to look. To her surprise, Hilda Berg was there. Hilda then said, “I thought I’d find you here, Lillia.”

Lillia smiled, “How’s it going, Hilda?”

Hilda shook her head, “We need to talk. Mr. Presston told me about your comment about King Dice and the Devil showing up.”

Lillia tilted her head, but her smiled faded as she asked, “Is something wrong, Hilda? You seem more serious than before?”

Hilda then answered, “Some of the residents have whispered about spotting King Dice lately. Saying that he might be following someone. Based on the locations of where he’s been spotted, it looks like he might’ve been following you, Lillia.”

Lillia’s eyes widened, “Eh? You’ve gotta be kidding me, Hilda! No way would someone like him take notice of little me, would he?”

Hilda face-palmed, “Girl, you’re not noticing what’s going on in the background! Who wouldn’t take notice of someone who is bold enough to go visit everyone who was in debt to the Devil and ask them why they made their deal! And at the rate you’re going, you might pull it off within a day like the Cup brothers! Of course the Devil and his lackey’s going to take notice sooner or later!”

Lillia fidgeted a little. Hilda never really worked with the girl before despite both working in the same paper, but she heard from Jonathan about Lillia sometimes fidgeting when she’s nervous. Hilda sighed, “Look, Lillia. All I’m trying to say is: I know I can’t stop you from trying to interview those two villains. But if you’re going to do that, be careful. I’m sure you understand from talking to me and everyone else you interviewed by now the fact that the Devil is very much a trickster in his own right. I just don’t want you to walk the path that I did, okay?”

Lillia nodded, “Okay. I promise that I’ll be careful.”


	14. Rumor Honeybottoms: "Honeycomb Herald"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillia enters the third island and begins her interviews on this island.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This seems to be one of my longer chapters. I guess it's safe to say that the longer chapters usually indicate which ones I had enjoyed more.

#  Rumor Honeybottoms: “Honeycomb Herald”

Stepping out of the Die House, Lillia thought about what Hilda Berg told her. The woman with the yellow ribbons sighed, unsure of why her actions would cause a stir. Pulling out her checklist of those to interview, she decided to first head to the nearby office building to visit Rumor Honeybottoms, the Queen Bee of the Honeycomb.

Knocking on the door, Lillia decided to wait for someone to answer instead of just walking in like the Cup Brothers did. After all, she didn’t have a 24 hour time limit like they did despite the fact that she challenged herself to get it done within that time frame. The Officer that took part in the battle answered and asked, “Hello?”

Lillia smiled, “Hello. I’m a reporter from Inkwell Island 1’s paper. I came because I was hoping to interview Mz. Honeybottoms-”

The Officer smiled, “Ah yes, Lillia Morgana, was it? Carnation actually sent us a message about it. Please, come in.”

Lillia was surprised, but she followed anyway. She did take a moment to jot down in her notes about Cagney Carnation informing Rumor Honeybottoms about the whole interview thing. Maybe she should ask if Cagney told her about Cuphead and Mugman as well?

The introductions went by smoothly, and Lillia was relieved with the fact that Rumor didn’t think she was going for a Honey Heist. Rumor then said, “So, sugar, is it true that you’ve been wanting to learn about why those like myself made those deals with the Devil?”

Lillia nodded, “Yes, but if you don’t mind, I have another question I wanted to ask first.”

Rumor then inquired, “Oh? And what would that bee?”

Lillia replied, “The Officer mentioned that Cagney Carnation sent you a message about my mission to ask about those deals. Have you had any prior history with him? And had he informed you about Cuphead and Mugman going around collecting the Soul Contracts?”

Rumor laughed a little, “Yes, we have had a little history in that we were acquaintances who hoped to bee more than we were when we were young. Even after moving to Island 3 to start working up the ladders, we kept in touch as pen pals. Regarding Cuphead and Mugman, it is true that Cagney wrote to me that those two were likely going to head my way fairly soon. He didn’t say why they were coming, but that it wasn’t good news.”

Lillia nodded, “I see. So, was Cagney Carnation aware of the fact that you made a Deal with the Devil? And if so, how long did he know?”

Rumor sighed, “He didn’t know right away, but one day when one of my workers visited him, she noted that something was different and asked him about it. He didn’t explain it to the worker, but he brought up the subject in a message he sent to me. Through that conversation, we both became aware of each other’s deals. Circumstances kept us from collaborating, though.”

Lillia then asked, “What sorts of circumstances?”

Rumor laughed, “It’s pretty obvious, sugar! Cagney doesn’t move around that much, and I’ve been a busy woman.”

Lillia then smiled, “Sounds like you have a strong friendship, Mz. Honeybottoms. If you don’t mind me asking, what lead up to your deal with the Devil?”

Rumor’s face turned serious again as she sighed, “In all honesty, sugar, if I never set out for this island, I’m not sure if I would’ve been caught up in this mess. You see, when I first arrived, I was basically a nobody in the eyes of the corporate world. I had the skills in management to handle top level positions, but it seems like many in the business fear the sight of a woman in power. I’m sure you understand what it’s like?”

Lillia nodded, “I can definitely agree with that. I swear, a number of my colleagues in the paper, especially one who I don’t want to name out of respect, has tried to flirt with every female worker. Heck, I once caught that particular guy trying to flirt with Hilda Berg! Before I could step in, she got him to stop. I don’t know when that was in relation to her deal though.”

Rumor nodded, “Eventually, I decided to buzz off and start my own company. Seemed to me like the only guy in this island’s business world who respected me as a person was the same Officer you now see working for me.”

Lillia then asked, “What about Cagney Carnation?”

Rumor then replied, “He was never fond of the big cities - always preferring to stay close to nature. As such, I don’t see him as part of that business world.”

Lillia nodded, “It sounds like things were much better once you started your own business.”

Rumor beamed, “Oh gosh, yes! It was wonderful. I still remember a bunch of women speaking to each other about my efforts and applauding my attempts to step forward despite how long men have dominated the fields of business. This island’s paper even once wrote that my business could be a beacon of progress for women wishing equality.”

Rumor took notice of Lillia’s surprised look and asked, “Have you not seen it, sugar?”

Lillia, a little embarrassed, admitted, “I’m afraid I haven’t. My dad always wanted me to stay on Island 1 and he never let me have a chance to read the papers from the other islands.”

Rumor then remarked, “Gosh, that’s a shame.”

Lillia then spoke, “To get back on track, it honestly sounds like you had it made. What then could drive you to making a deal with The Devil?”

Rumor sighed, “Sadly, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, sugar. While many of the women applauded my efforts, many of the men in economic power despised me for those same reasons. It got to the point where they decided to try and take down my business through any means possible. Eventually, they found their favorite tactic in the Honey Heist.”

Lillia flinched, “Is that why you were worried that Cuphead and Mugman were trying to steal the honey?”

Rumor sighed, “Let’s just say that I started to get jumpy. Point is, my staff was doing everything they could to stop it, but I was horrified at how much they had to work just to keep their efforts from being wasted. At first, I tried to step in directly, but the same harrassments and problems that I ran into back when I was a nobody in the town seemed to want to come back. One night, after making sure that everything was secure, I decided that I really needed a drink.”

Lillia then asked, “Was that what lead you to The Devil’s Casino?”

Rumor nodded, “It was the only place that had a bar that I hadn’t tried going to yet. I’ve been to every single bar in Island 3 - the only island with such places I should add - and every single time, someone tried to pester me or tamper with the drink. It was awful! Before the night I went to the Casino, I wrote to Cagney, and he suggested the Casino might be a good place to get a drink so long as I don’t gamble.”

Lillia inquired, “Had Cagney made his Deal with the Devil by then?”

Rumor shrugged, “Maybe. However, I can’t be certain. Sounds like he never told you much about his part in my story.”

Lillia shook her head, “No, I was trying to learn of his story at the time. Please, continue.”

Rumor nodded, “When I got there, I was not surprised at the smell of smoke and alcohol. I got used to both during those times visiting the other bars, but I still prefer the scent of honey for obvious reasons.”

Lillia giggled a little. Rumor then continued, “In all honesty, I was shocked by the courtesy the other patrons had. Sure, there were some bad apples who tried to pick on me, but there were others who actually stepped in to stop it. Granted, that was from suggesting to the troublemakers that they gamble, but it was honestly better than the island’s pubs where it seemed like nobody was helping. Unfortunately, though, I think I had a little too much to drink.”

Lillia asked, “Did you get drunk or tipsy when the contract was made?”

Rumor shook her head, “It didn’t get that bad, but I ended up spilling to King Dice that conditions weren’t all that pleasant. He asked me to wait there for a bit while he get someone I could talk to. That was the night I first met the Devil.”

Lillia then asked, “Was that when you made the deal?”

Rumor shook her head, “No, but the topic came up. I told him that I needed to think about it and that I’d come back tomorrow. He didn’t try to push because of my condition.”

Lillia then tilted her head, “I think some of the others mentioned feeling pressured by the Devil. Why do you think he chose not to push you?”

Rumor shrugged, “Probably because he realized that my position as a company head meant that I would likely know a thing or two about the legal world. As such, he wanted to make sure that I really did consent to the deal if only to avoid the chance that I’d file charges against him for questionable consent.”

Lillia chuckled, “That’s probably what I’d do if I were in the Devil’s shoes. So what happened after that night?”

Rumor then sighed, “The next day, I was thinking long and hard about that conversation. Part of me thought about wishing for something that would strike at all the men, but I resisted that because it would’ve hurt the Officer who I trust as well. When I made up my mind, I headed back there. This time, I wouldn’t have any drinks.”

Lillia was jotting down notes the whole time and she asked, “What was it that you asked for in the deal?”

Rumor then replied, “The power to protect that which I cared about. Despite my efforts to make sure that there were no extra tricks, that no-good demon seemed to want to get the souls of my employees as well! Sending Cuphead and Mugman like that.”

Lillia was surprised as she remarked, “From what I understand, Mz. Honeybottoms, Cuphead and Mugman were only sent to collect your Soul Contract.”

Before Lillia could continue, Rumor was surprised as she said, “Wait, it was JUST my soul?”

Lillia tilted her head, “I think so. Why would the Devil try to use one contract to get that many souls, especially since you’re one who looked carefully at the paper before signing it.”

Rumor sighed, “I didn’t look at the smallest print for one thing, and for another, I thought those two came to steal the honey. Honey that I should note everyone in this company basically put their heart and soul into making. There’s a reason why a number have noted that this honey was of top quality.”

Lillia nodded, “I can understand. When you love what you do, you really put everything into it. And the drive to protect that which you love and care for, I think that’s a very noble thing.”

Rumor smiled, “Aww, thanks, sugar!”

Lillia then inquired, “Still, from the sounds of it, it sounds like you backed out of the deal because you thought the Devil was trying to take more than what the contract called for. If you knew that he was only after your soul the whole time, would you have gone along quietly?”

Rumor thought a moment but then replied, “In all honesty, sugar, there is a chance, but that would have required other things to happen.”

Lillia then asked, “What are those other things?”

Rumor answered, “You see, by the time the Devil tried to collect my soul, I was already aware that Cagney fought back against his soul being collected. Because he was fighting back, I decided that I should too. That Devil would’ve needed to already have Cagney’s Soul in his claws or some other grip on those who I wanted to protect if he was going to get my soul quietly. Truth is though, Cagney’s the only one who I couldn’t protect, so yes, without his soul, that Devil’s not getting mine without a fight. Does that answer all of your questions, sugar?”

Lillia nodded, “It sure does. It’s been great talking to you, Mz. Honeybottoms. Perhaps we could meet again someday?”

Rumor smiled, “Anytime, sugar!”

With that, Lillia headed off. She was certainly relieved that she didn’t have to fight this one. After all, she heard that the heroes struggled a bit against Rumor and Lillia could understand why. After all, concepts like love, even if it’s not the romantic kind, and friendship can be powerful forces, and Rumor Honeybottoms had both on her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full disclosure here: I actually wrote these chapters out of order of when they're being published. I wrote the chapters, especially when I started this project, based more on which ones I felt motivated to write and I had a good idea on what I wanted to aim for. In all honesty, this chapter ended up being the first major chapter I wrote.


	15. Captain Brineybeard: "Shootin' and Lootin'"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillia finally catches up the one who found the scroll.

#  Captain Brineybeard: “Shootin’ N’ Lootin”

As Lillia walked out of the office building, she thought about where to go next. Eventually, she settled on going to interview Captain Brineybeard next. Unfortunately, King Dice trolled again. Before Lillia could step too far away from the office building, a parchment with Rumor Honeybottoms’ image on it was slipped under her feet and she fell in. This time though, Lillia was kicked out with no success. Taking the parchment with her, Lillia thought about getting something from Porkrind’s Emporium if it meant getting past these fights. However, she failed to notice that she was at the pier until a male voice shouted, “Arr! Watch ye step or you’ll walk the plank!”

Lillia stopped and took a step back when she saw that she almost walked into the water! Looking around, Lillia called out, “Thanks for the heads up!”

Once she spotted Captain Brineybeard and introductions were made, Lillia asked about interviewing him, but Captain Brineybeard suggested that they first stop by the Emporium. He was hoping to grab a drink and he didn't feel like stopping at the pub like he normally did.

At the Emporium, Captain Brineybeard looked as though he was expecting her to pick up one of the weapons. She hadn't thought to ask, but she guessed that he wanted to see if she was tough enough. She was originally going to just take the Chaser because it didn't look like it had much if any alcohol, but after remembering the battle she lost, she decided to pick up Charge as well. She thought about getting Roundabout, but Lillia was always hesitant about alcohol despite being old enough to drink legally, and the Roundabout seemed to be one of the more alcoholic beverages. Captain Brineybeard took notice of this and asked her about it. Lillia simply responded, “Let's just say I have medical reasons to be cautious.”

Luckily for her, the pirate didn't push the subject. Before she had a chance to interview him, Lillia ended up getting sucked into the parchment again! This time, the battle with Rumor Honeybottoms went much better. Using the Chaser to keep pressure on Rumor and her minions while using the Ribbon-whip to clear away projectiles that got too close. Unfortunately, despite this success, Lillia stepped out only to step into another parchment - this one containing the fight with Captain Brineybeard. Lillia swapped out Chaser for Charge, but she did wince a little at how spicy Charge was.

As she exited the parchment, Lillia flinched when she heard Captain Brineybeard shouting something which she can only guess was King Dice escaping due to the pirate calling the casino manager a “block-headed coward” or something like that. It was thanks to this that Lillia found out about King Dice using those papers to troll her.

As for Captain Brineybeard himself? Apparently, he and his crew had sailed the seas, treasure or not. Captain Brineybeard shrugged and remarked, “Usually we end up spending the treasure we get on supplies, drinks, and other things. That's why me buried treasure is just a myth!”

As for what lead to the deal? Well, apparently, a mermaid started trying to oppose him, and she managed to convince his crew to give up. Without a crew, he couldn't sail. Eventually, the pirate decided to make a deal with the Devil wishing that his ship could operate without a crew. Thing is, Captain Brineybeard thought he just needed treasure to pay, but learning that it was his soul convinced the pirate to back off, and his ship helped fend off King Dice who attempted to collect by himself.

Lillia couldn't help but ask about why he never thought to sail away from the Devil. Captain Brineybeard grumbled, “Because that sea-witch Cala Maria apparently made a deal with the Devil herself! If I crossed her path, she would've undoubtedly tried to end me and if that happens, the Devil would've gotten my soul! It's a chance that I couldn't afford to take, lass.”

Lillia decided to ask about the parchment with the prophecy, pointing out that Cuphead said that he was the one who found it. Captain Brineybeard sighed, “Honestly, I’m thinking that it's all hogwash. Probably written by some low-level lackey of the Devil's hoping to get promoted by nabbing a Soul. I wouldn't dwell on it if I were you, lass.”

After thanking Captain Brineybeard for his time, Lillia headed off. To her surprise, Jonathan came by with extra information to help her articles. Lillia apologized for not contacting him sooner, but Jonathan told her that it was alright. He then said, “Seems like a number of people are starting to wonder about how your articles will turn out, Lillia. I think you’ve got a big one.”

Lillia laughed a little, “Thanks, but there's something that concerns me. You know anything about these parchment papers that resulted in boss fights?”

Jonathan sighed, “Unfortunately, yes. I accidentally entered one that had a fight with Hilda Berg when she and I first found it. I don't have any proof, but I suspect that these papers originated from Inkwell Hell as a way to help keep records on who signed Deals with the Devil and to perhaps train up in preparation for fighting them as well. After all, these papers are made of the same stuff as the Soul contracts apparently.”

The two talked a bit more, but soon Lillia had to go. She had some more interviews to make, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About the struggle Lillia had? I felt that it was looking as though she was breezing through this too easily. In truth, she struggled quite a bit through the parchment fights themselves. However, I didn't want to mess with the idea of Lillia dying for real.


	16. Dr. Kahl's Robot: "Junkyard Jive"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillia goes to talk to Dr. Kahl about his robot, but finds a challenge waiting for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow... this one ended up being way too short. I find it odd because I think Dr. Kahl's Robot was one of the early ones I had an idea for, but I guess that I wasn't really sure how to write the rest of it.

#  Dr. Kahl’s Robot: “Junkyard Jive”

Lillia couldn't believe her eyes when she got to the Junkyard. King Dice apparently set up roadblocks of those parchments. It seemed like any boss that she never fought in the parchment now had one there in addition to the one matching Dr. Kahl's Robot at the end with maybe one or two exceptions. Taking a deep breath, Lillia went in. She was definitely planning to interview King Dice when she could, if for no other reason than to find out why he’s doing this.

By the time she finally finished the last one, Dr. Kahl was waiting. Regarding the interview, it seemed like his love of robotics actually resulted in financial troubles when he put everything into making his robot. Despite this, Dr. Kahl wasn't bothered nor did he blame his robot. But his robot inexplicably gained sentience and had somehow blamed himself for his Creator's troubles. As a result, Dr. Kahl's robot eventually made a deal with the Devil to help Dr. Kahl out of his financial troubles. The giant jewels seen were what came from it, but Dr. Kahl basically wasn't going to let his robot honor the deal, saying that he’d rather live in poverty than lose his son. Lillia felt touched when she heard Dr. Kahl refer to his robot as his son. He may be a mad scientist who planned to take over the world through his robotic creations, but he cared about them all the same. Dr. Kahl admitted that he didn’t appear at the celebration because he both wanted to see if he could bring his robot back and because he hadn't yet gotten extra clothes. He had no intention on showing up in an embarrassing appearance if he could help it.

Before Lillia could get going though, Dr. Kahl did warn her that he overheard King Dice talking to some minions about her. Dr. Kahl added, “I know it's hard to believe, but it sounds like you became a blip on the Devil's radar. I’d be careful if I were you.”

Lillia nodded before heading off. Dr. Kahl sighed, “By the look in her eyes, I don't think she's taking it seriously.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, the Boss Rush that King Dice put Lillia through? Basically, King Dice made a bet with the Devil and the former is trying to stall for time.


	17. Cala Maria: "High Seas Hijinx!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillia meets up with Mugman and Cala Maria as the human gets closer to finishing the interviews.

#  Cala Maria: “High Seas Hijinx!”

Lillia had to catch her breath as she was approaching where Cala Maria would be. She hadn't had lunch due to her drive to get the interviews done in one day, which made things more awkward for her as she was pushing through despite hunger. She did end up having to take a little break when her stomach growled. Last thing she wanted was to have that happen during an interview. She was lucky enough to find a machine that took coins to dispense snacks. Due to the logo, Lillia realized that Dr. Kahl apparently made this device called a vending machine. She could only guess that it was to help him raise funds.

When she finished the bag of chips that she had gotten, she began making her way to Cala Maria again.  She did remember how Captain Brineybeard seemed to imply that Cala Maria may have had a hand in what lead to his Deal with the Devil. Perhaps a the reverse happened as well?

Lillia spotted Cala Maria and Mugman looking at a parchment. By now, Lillia knew that King Dice likely left it as another challenge for her. However, when she caught up, Mugman ended up joining her for the battle.

Cala Maria was glad to see that the two made it out alright. When Lillia began to ask questions, Cala Maria did confirm that Captain Brineybeard was involved. According to her, his ship and crew were causing a bunch of trouble for her aquatic friends, which lead her to try and do something about it. It was working for a while, but then one day, Brineybeard returned seemingly alone. His ship turned into a Narwhal and Cala Maria almost lost her head. She was sent flying and landed away from the shore. The landing seemed softer than she would've expected. Lillia ask how that was the case. Cala Maria laughed, “Simply put, I somehow dropped in on the Devil, literally!”

Lillia couldn't help but snicker at the image. However, Cala Maria revealed that it was that encounter that lead to her contract. The Devil revealed that Captain Brineybeard made a deal with a monster to get the power he had. Cala Maria wished to be able to stop anyone who threatened her aquatic friends, which caused her to become the giant mermaid seen in the battle. However, some of her friends under the waters told her about the Devil being the only one capable of making such deals, which infuriated Cala Maria because she realized that she made a deal with the same demon that Captain Brineybeard got his powers from. Feeling tricked, Cala Maria decided to back out of it and the easiest way for her to do so was by diving down to the bottom of the sea whenever the Devil or King Dice showed up. Lillia asked about if Cala Maria would’ve gone after Captain Brineybeard, and Cala Maria admitted that she only would’ve done so if he was going after her Soul Contract because the Devil was really the bigger threat. However, Lillia then asked about why she went up to face Cuphead and Mugman even though it sounded as though Cala Maria knew that the two were trying to get her contract. Cala Maria thought back and then replied, “Admittedly, there were two reasons. One is that I thought they seemed rather cute, especially Mugman over here.”

Cala Maria winked at Mugman who blushed a little. Lillia nodded quietly. Cala Maria then added, “The other is that I didn’t think I’d lose to those two. After all, aren’t the little ones more likely to be underestimated than the giants?”

Lillia nodded, “I think I can see how that might happen.”

Cala Maria then asked, “But Lillia, is it true that you plan to speak with King Dice and the Devil?”

Lillia answered, “Yes. First off, King Dice has been trolling me with these boss-fight parchments. I can’t just stand by wondering why, can I?”

Mugman then asked, “But are you sure you can handle facing the Devil?”

Lillia thought a moment. Finally, she answered, “If he was at full strength, I wouldn’t think so. However, I’m sure that he’s still trying to recover from the wallop you and Cuphead gave him. I’m sure that he wouldn’t be able to do anything too nasty if it came down to it.”

Cala Maria would’ve been ready to ask why, but she shook her head. The two had to get going, so it wasn’t like either had the time to continue asking questions. But as Lillia dashed off, Cala Maria looked at Mugman and asked, “Do you think she really can go through Inkwell Hell and come back?”

Mugman looked at Cala Maria and replied, “Honestly, it’s hard to say. What I will say though is that if she does come back, I don’t think things will be the same for her. As for if this will affect the rest of Inkwell Isle in the long run, I just don’t know.”


	18. Sally Stageplay: "Dramatic Fanatic"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Lillia goes to speak to Sally Stageplay, she finds herself caught up in a situation she wasn't really prepared for.

#  Sally Stageplay: “Dramatic Fanatic”

Sunset was basically here. Lillia took notice of that and a poster on the wall and immediately raced to the theater. She hoped to talk to Sally Stageplay before the performance she was putting on tonight began. Having picked up the Chaser from Porkrind’s Emporium during her conversation with Captain Brineybeard, Lillia admitted that it made the Run and Gun stages easier to get through… even though she had considered going back through them in a pacifist run later on. Thing is… that Chaser (and the Charge she got as well) were going to be needed tonight. In order to avoid the crowds lining up at the audience, Lillia attempted to reach the back entrance… only to discover that they were performing a re-enactment of the battle Sally had and she needed someone to play the part of Cuphead. The actors that were going to play the Cup brothers were sick, the aforementioned heroes weren’t available, and Lillia seemed like she was able to play the part.

Lillia gulped. As she was put into the costume and filled in on what was going on, Lillia also took a swig of the Chaser potion (while also being glad that she was of legal drinking age even though she was sure that the Chaser was not listed as being alcoholic unlike the Roundabout). Placing her ribbons away in her pocket to remove the temptation to use them, Lillia was reviewing the script as well. Soon, it was time to get on the stage.

Lillia was unaware of the fact that Cuphead secretly entered as an audience member. If she knew, then she might’ve been even more nervous than she was already. However, Cuphead wasn’t there to watch the play. He came because he suspected that King Dice or another of the Devil’s lackeys would show up. Regarding the performance, Lillia ended up taking note of the fact that some aspects were different from what she remembered Mr. Presston saying about the battle. The main difference related to the umbrella or parasol that Sally was using. Lillia wasn’t focusing on that, She was focused on handling the battle in question. Luckily for her, she managed to pull it off… even though she had to rely on the Smoke Bomb a lot and even then she did take some damage.

Once Lillia managed to get back off the stage and able to return to her regular clothes, she sighed, “That was close.”

A female voice chimed, “That was thrilling!”

Lillia was startled as she turned to see who it was; it was Sally herself. Sally smiled, “Thanks for helping us out there, um, what was your name?”

Lillia introduced herself. Sally snapped her fingers, “Ah, yes! Dr. Kahl mentioned that you were running around trying to ask us about the contracts.”

Lillia nodded, “Yes. If you don’t mind-”

Sally then interrupted, “Sure! It’s the least I can do.”

Lillia quickly pulled out her notebook to jot down her notes. Sally explained about how her acting career made it harder to deal with fans. She loved their attention, but sometimes it felt just a bit too much. Eventually, the Devil showed up and when he offered her a deal, she only really wished for a means to defend herself that she could also incorporate into her acting. The umbrella that she used during her battle with Cuphead was the thing she received. Lillia was surprised, “That’s it? That’s all you asked for?”

Sally grinned, “Sometimes, the best things come in small packages. That was the one aspect of life where I felt helpless at. But as for the question of why I backed out? I was just having too much fun performing that I completely forgot about the deal. Even if I remembered, I probably would’ve tried to fight the Devil instead of handing my soul over.”

The actress laughed, “Now whether I could actually defeat the Devil or not is another question altogether!”

Lillia then asked, “Had the Devil tried to collect?”

Sally nearly guffawed in laughter as she explained, “King Dice at one point tried to get in, but he was swept away by my fans! I don’t think they realized how they saved me that night, but I’m always glad to see them.”

Lillia then nodded, “If you don’t mind me asking, I heard that you recently fell in love with the actor that plays the part of your character’s husband. Would you like to tell that story?”

Sally’s face turned serious, but nostalgic, as she admitted, “In all honesty, it happened when Cuphead and Mugman defeated me and took my contract away. I honestly felt humiliated as this happened in front of a live audience. He came by and was able to help me through the hours where it was unclear as to whether I’d be saved or doomed.”

Lillia nodded. Although she had to go, she certainly appreciated that Sally was willing to tell her tale. As Lillia left, Cuphead sighed, “No luck. Just what are King Dice and the Devil planning now?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full disclosure: when I originally wrote this chapter, I only had Lillia get the Chaser. I think it was when I was writing Captain Brineybeard's chapter that I ended up including Charge as well.


	19. Werner Werman: "Murine Corps"

#  Werner Werman: “Murine Corps”

Lillia looked at her list, and decided that she better speak to Werner Werman before heading to the Phantom Express. After all, the Phantom Express was the closest to Inkwell Hell and she didn’t want to backtrack if she could help it. However, she felt uneasy. She remembered how Jonathan and some of his buddies were abuzz when they heard about the Cat Mecha that the rat was piloting… and Werner wasn’t exactly happy about the press coming to question him.

Lillia knocked on the door bracing herself for a fight. However, there was no answer. Lillia knocked again, but she then heard what sounded like a fight. Thinking that something nasty was happening, Lillia opened the door and dashed in. She didn’t see what it was, but Werner Werman was fighting minions of the Devil that were sent up for some reason. Because of this, Werner took one look in Lillia’s direction, assumed that she came to reinforce the Devil’s minions, and attacked. Lillia had to dodge because the first projectiles were coming too fast for her to use the Ribbon-Whip to stop. She tried to get the rat’s attention, but he was fighting like a man possessed. At one point, an attack caused her to drop the Ribbon-Whip, prompting her to pull out the Chaser.

Lillia then called out, “Werner! What’s going on?!”

Werner then shouted, “You’re not fooling me, demon! I don’t know how that Devil could’ve gotten one up here, but you’re not taking my soul!”

Lillia then shouted, “What are you talking about?!”

Werner hesitated, not because of Lillia’s words, but because he thought he saw the ribbon she dropped fly towards her. Lillia was surprised, but saw that she seemed to have developed an ability to control her ribbons from a distance. This would need some practice, but she was glad to have it back. Eventually, Werner backed off, but he still wasn’t all that keen to tell much. He then said, “Much of what you want to know is classified information, kid. All I can tell you is that the Cat Mecha that Cuphead and Mugman wrecked was the thing I got from my Deal with the Devil, and that my reasons for backing off had to do with beliefs. I don’t believe in those religions and that Devil probably has ties to them. I thought he was just a shady salesman when I made the deal.”

Lillia nodded, “Well, thanks, anyway. Sorry to trouble you, sir.”

Werner shook his head, “Kid, I’m thinking that Devil’s after you. He probably sent those minions here counting on you to show up. If I were you, I’d lay low and avoid that monster at all costs.”

Lillia nodded and headed off. Werner sighed, “That girl doesn’t get it, does she?”

As he finished saying that, he took note of an imp that managed to survive the battle and fled. However, he was too tired to really do anything about it.

Lillia was racing as fast as she could to reach the Phantom Express. That battle with Werner Werman took longer than she thought it would and it was finally dark out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About Werner attacking Lillia, that was planned the whole time. Considering some speculations on the kind of person Werner is, I can't imagine Lillia being all that happy talking to him. She prefers being civil though and she'd rather not have a repeat of what happened with Beppi the Clown.


	20. The Phantom Express: "Railroad Wrath"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Only one debtor left to speak for, but is Lillia prepared for what she's going to learn?

#  The Phantom Express: “Railroad Wrath”

Lillia couldn’t get onto the train as it was starting to head off, but she did spot the cart that was able to keep up with it. Hopping on, Lillia could only hope that she can catch up in time. However, before she could react, a parchment hit her on the head, and the next thing she found herself having to fight the Phantom Express. It took her quite a few tries, probably more than most of the other bosses (not as bad as the battle with Rumor Honeybottoms though!), but when she finally succeeded, she was surprised that she hadn’t fallen out of the cart. Eventually, the Blind Specter took notice. Lillia was able to start asking questions, but she was shocked at the story told.

The Phantom Express was tasked with transporting the souls of the departed to the afterlife (that was something she knew already), but it was a job that nobody really wanted to sign up for. Not only were there some souls who attempted to escape for one reason or another, but there was a time when bandits attempted to attack the train, using carts like the one she was riding to catch up to the train with their aim being to take some of those souls with them. Some of those bandits were trying to bring loved ones back to life, while others were trying to enlist those souls to serve them using a dark magic. Lillia exclaimed, “Necromancy?!”

The Blind Specter asked, “Is that what they call it?”

Soon, T-Bone the Conductor joined the conversation and pointed out that the crew was actually fairly small. The Blind Specter wasn’t even initially part of it, but due to the fact that he was able to help fight off the bandits, he was offered a place in the Phantom Express crew, which the Blind Specter readily accepted, under the impression that he would’ve ended up in the Underworld otherwise. It was the fact that the Blind Specter joined the Phantom Express’s crew that resulted in him being blue and thus affected by the finger shot instead of being pink and immune to everything but parries like the other ghosts (although they also implied that the Blind Specter wasn’t quite a ghost but a kind of Youkai instead, something that Lillia had a hunch might be what’s going on because the Blind Specter sometimes slipped and said a few things in Japanese. Lillia felt the need to leave them out of the final version of her article because it turned out that the Blind Specter was swearing and she recognized one of those words without needing to ask.). Even despite this addition, that basically left only 4 individuals who could fight: The Blind Specter, T-Bone, and the Blaze Brothers. T-Bone grumbled that despite how important the Phantom express was, the angels didn’t seem to want to help out with the bandit troubles.

Lillia then asked, “Angels?”

The two members that she was talking to said that it was better not to look further into that matter for now. Lillia nodded and asked if this was what lead to their deal with the Devil. The Blind Specter confirmed it, saying that what they got was both the destruction of all but one of the carts that the bandits were using to chase them and that the Head of the Train, who was always sentient, was able to start fighting back himself if needed without stopping the rest of the train. Because this was a collective deal, they were able to get more than one thing out of it. However, T-Bone pointed out that because no one was willing to take up the job in their place, they were obliged to back out of the deal. Despite being closest to where the Devil could directly act, the Phantom Express managed to avoid retaliation until the Cup Brothers arrived by telling the demon that if he took their souls now, then he suddenly wouldn’t be able to get more souls as every soul not in the afterlife would effectively become immortal. The Blind Specter sighed, “Seems like he figured out some way to deal with it since he sent the Cup brothers after us.”

Lillia thanked them for their time, and as the train zoomed off, her cart slowed to a stop. Looking ahead, she saw the mountain that held the entrance to Inkwell Hell. Unbeknownst to her, there were those inside who were prepared for her arrival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, if demons exist, then surely angels exist too, right? I don't think angels actually show up in Motivations, but if I ever make a sequel to this, then I'm pretty sure angels would show up in some form.


	21. Interlude: "Entering Inkwell Hell"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time has come for Lillia G. Morgana to decide: Is she going to proceed into Inkwell Hell to interview King Dice and The Devil despite risking the prophecy coming true, or is she going to turn back and hope that it won't come to pass.

#  Interlude: “Entering Inkwell Hell”

Lillia stepped onto the wrong side of the tracks. After her interview with the crew of the Phantom Express, she was shaken up. After all, as if talk of bandits trying to keep the dead from entering the afterlife (she was certain that a number of them were Necromancers, but for such a dark magic to even exist?! That was a HUGE scoop and a potential future story to look into!) wasn’t unnerving enough, but with mentions of angels and (implicitly) the Heavens? Lillia remembered that her father told her that such things don’t exist. That there’s been no proof of them. Now? She wasn’t sure. After all, T-Bone did confirm during the talk that even if more people wanted to help them out, it took quite a bit of a quality check to prove oneself worthy. As such, it was safe to say that the Phantom Express could qualify as reliable sources when it comes to the afterlife which is part of their field of expertise. But now, Lillia turned her eyes to the entrance of Inkwell Hell.

Lillia felt her heart pound louder than before. Part of her wanted to run - to get back to the office with the notes she currently had, get this published, and forget about the silly notion of entering Inkwell Hell to interview King Dice and the Devil. However, part of her was excited at the prospect of such a talk. After all, no other journalist - no, more like no other PERSON - ever had the audacity to head down there to try and glean whatever knowledge she could from the ones who ran the Underworld. Lillia took a deep breath and fixed up her appearance as best as she could - readjusting her glasses, brushing off any dust on her clothes, and fixing her hair bun again. She might as well try to look professional before stepping in.

As she began to step towards the cave entrance, she couldn’t help but glance at the pants she wore and thought back to what Rumor Honeybottoms told her about the problems females had in the workplace. It suddenly hit Lillia why she always wore pants to work instead of skirts or dresses like other women. With so many tales her father told her about the dangers a woman like her would experience in the real world, especially after her mother passed away to an illness everyone thought she recovered from, it probably got into her head that she’d be safer if she was a man instead. While she was pretty sure that other women existed who would wear pants because they prefer the style, Lillia felt bad that she never took chances (such as choosing to try out what was considered feminine even at work) until after her father was gone, forcing her to try and support herself as best as she could.

Still, she also remembered Hilda’s warning, telling her to be cautious. Lillia took a deep breath before she stepped inside. She never saw herself as a gambler except for perhaps using the claw machines, so surely nothing could go wrong, right? But just before she stepped inside, she paused. After all, there was the issue of that prophecy. The one that said that a third soul was going to explore and fall into the darkness. Everyone was still in high spirits because of Cuphead and Mugman being seen as heroes in their eyes. If she waited, then maybe she could avoid it, but… wouldn’t another soul fall in her place? Even if Captain Brineybeard who first found out about it admitted that it was likely nonsense, wasn’t there such a thing as a self-fulfilling prophecy and that it might happen even if the celebrations died down? Lillia sighed, “I hope I’m making the right choice.”

With that, she stepped into the darkness. As far as she was concerned, there was no turning back now.


	22. King Dice: "All Bets are Off!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillia attempts to speak to King Dice, but there's a reason why he was trolling her with the Boss Parchments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was long enough I was actually worried that Archive of Our Own would force me to split this chapter into two parts.

#  King Dice: “All bets are off!”

Lillia felt almost intimidated seeing the casino. It was a place that she heard of, but she never saw it until now. As she reached the door, she stopped when she saw King Dice, the casino’s sleazy manager, again. She couldn’t tell if he was glad or furious seeing her. But she remembered that he was one of those that she hoped to interview down here. Perhaps this is her chance? She approached.

Before she could say anything, King Dice exclaimed, “Well, lookee here! You somehow managed pull it off in one day… but you made me lose a bet!”

Lillia gulped and tried to take a step back. From what Jonathan told her, she could tell that King Dice wasn’t happy despite his grin. Before she could attempt to run, King Dice then said, “And for that, you’re not getting a chance to speak to the Big Cheese just yet! We’re going to play a game first!”

Lillia suddenly was dragged into the casino as she then exclaimed, “Ah!”

She wasn’t sure where in the place she was at, but it was clear to her that he was looking for a fight. Looking at the pink die, she was confused seeing only 1, 2, and 3, but it was parryable. She tried to use the whip to send the die at King Dice, but it simply stopped on a number. In this case, it was a 2. Seeing King Dice loom caused Lillia to flinch. For a moment, she was afraid that he was going to eat her, but to her relief, it wasn’t the case. (But what was he eating? Some unseen camera?)

She had a feeling that the stack of chips that she soon faced wasn’t going to chat. The battle seemed simple enough to her, and she managed to get through it alright. As she was continuing through the board, she did get dismayed when she ended up hitting the start over square. By the end of it all, she had to fight every single member of the King’s Court. When the time came to fight King Dice himself, she was fairly worn out. However, she wasn’t giving up. Wielding the Ribbon-Whip and the Chaser, Lillia began furiously swinging at the cards that King Dice sent at her. This wasn’t really helping to take down King Dice as any cards that were trying to get back to King Dice kept colliding with cards that didn’t get hit, and the Chaser wasn’t dealing much damage. Eventually, Lillia decided to try leaping up. By the time she finally Knocked out King Dice, she was barely clinging to life herself. Back at the Casino, Lillia and King Dice sat a table catching their breaths. Lillia then said, ‘I gotta say, King Dice, that was a close one, but an epic fight nonetheless.”

King Dice, confused as to why she was lingering around instead of heading to the side to speak to the Devil like the Cup brothers had, then asked, “Weren’t you going to speak with the Boss?”

Lillia chuckled, “I was actually hoping to ask you some questions before bothering the Devil himself, if that’s okay with you.”

King Dice then said, “Alrighty, what’s on your mind?”

Before Lillia could really give an answer, her stomach growled. She felt a little flustered, for the very thing she hoped wouldn’t happen ended up occurring. With a laugh, King Dice shook his head, “Battle worked up an appetite, Lily?”

Lillia nodded, “Y-yeah. Guess so.”

There wasn’t much of a selection of food items (after all, this wasn’t a restaurant!), but Lillia did decide to order something so that she wouldn’t starve herself. She could only guess that King Dice also got hungry from the fight as he got some food for himself as well.

Lillia then said, “I’m sorry if it’s a bother. It’s just, I’ve got multiple questions to ask if you don’t mind.”

King Dice shrugged, “It’s alright. Not like there’s much happening ‘round here nowadays.”

Lillia smiled and then asked, “First off, what’s up with the parchments that have been sending me to battles against the bosses - I mean debtors - that Cuphead and Mugman fought?”

King Dice then grinned, “Well, those papers seem to have been records formed around the time of the various deals my boss made. They don’t contain the actual souls of the debtor in question, but they sure helped keep track of who still had to pay.”

Lillia then asked, “Why were you placing them in such a way that I would end up having to fight them all?”

King Dice laughed, “Okay, darling, that was mainly to stall for time. I bet that you couldn’t have pulled it off in one day because of how long these interviews go, but since you seemed to have been able to get some of that information without fighting them debtors, I had to do something.”

Lillia’s smile faded as she asked, “Just what was put on the line?”

King Dice seemed to have blushed and replied, “Let’s just say that it’s too embarrassing to say. Not to mention that with the one regarding Cupface and Mugboy nearly cost me my job had the Boss gotten the boys on his side.”

Lillia thought back to when she heard that one of the other reporters got word of the Devil calling King Dice a “good-for-nothing lackey” before asking, “How come you’re working with the Devil?”

King Dice was confused, “You mean what got me working for him in the first place or why I’m working for him now?”

Lillia replied, “Well, both, actually. First, why are you still working for him now? Didn’t he call you a good-for-nothing lackey?”

King Dice laughed a little, “That’s just the way the boss is. He likes to hype up the opportunities he’s offering, and figured that since them cups had taken me down a moment prior, he could entice them with that insult. After all, if the Devil’s Right Hand Man is just a ‘good-for-nothing lackey’ then imagine how high one could climb, right?”

Lillia diligently took notes as he spoke. She then asked, “So how did you get into the Devil’s service in the first place?”

King Dice sighed, “In all honesty, I’m not sure if I can give the true story.”

Lillia’s eyes widened, “Huh? What do you mean?”

King Dice then replied, “You know how some fictional stories depict characters who know they’re just characters in a story? That there’s someone out there looking at them even though they can’t seem to cross that fourth wall?”

Lillia nodded, “Yes. What about it?”

King Dice sighed, “That’s basically how it is with me. I don’t know how long it’s been that way, but I’ve had this feeling that someone is watching us. Someone who can only observe. But if everything we know is just some story, then isn’t there the possibility that there are other worlds identical to this in many ways, but different in others?”

Lillia then asked, “The Alternate Universe concept?”

King Dice nodded, “Exactly. This could be just one of those Alternate Universes and that the tale I tell might not be the true origin story of ‘King Dice’. Knowing this, do you still want to hear it?”

Lillia nodded, “Of course! After all, not every Alternate Universe follows the ‘True Story’ exactly. What you tell me is just as legit as that of any other universe’s tale, right?”

King Dice couldn’t help but smile a little, “Alright, darling. Don’t say that I didn’t warn you.”

Taking a deep breath, King Dice then spoke, “It started quite some time ago. I probably was around Cupface’s age at the time. I was nowhere near as dapper as you see me today.”

Lillia was a little surprised, “You weren’t?”

King Dice shook his head, “Not at all, darling! In fact, I was dirt poor and seemingly cursed with bad luck. Grew up envying the rich folk who seemed to be able to luck out at every turn. Eventually, I had just about enough and decided that there was only one way for me to beat the deck that was stacked against me.”

Lillia then asked, “What was it?”

King Dice answered, “Cheat. The pub that was near where I lived was no casino, but those rich folks seemed happy to gamble there, bringing decks of cards to use. Having gotten a job there cleaning up the mess, I had a chance to observe the rules of the game and figured out how some of them cheat the system and how I could still work around it.”

Lillia then asked, “What was it like when you first took part?”

King Dice chuckled, “Had to endure hunger for a few nights just to save up enough to start, but it was worth it. Considering how long it took for me to prepare and despite how I ended up losing bets I couldn’t really afford to lose the first few nights after I started, I finally started walking away with a decent amount.”

The man in purple seemed to be in a nostalgic mood as he thought back. Finally, he spoke up again, “After a few rounds in that pub and never losing a single one, I decided it was high time to head out. Them blokes who I beat seemed ready to try and send the authorities after me if they could find an excuse to bust me without busting themselves.”

Lillia’s eyes widened, “Where did you end up after that?”

King Dice shrugged, “As I neared Inkwell Isle, I was taking part in any hidden gambling circle I could. This way, no matter what came up, I’d be prepared. However, when I got to Inkwell Isle, I was shocked to find that there were no such circles anywhere I could see.”

Lillia then asked, “What happened after that?”

King Dice smiled, “I did some traveling around, doing an odd job here or there to make sure my funds didn’t run dry, and then one day I ended up on the wrong side of the tracks.”

Lillia then asked, “This place?”

King Dice nodded, “Yep. The Devil’s Casino was a lot more disorganized when I saw it. Now, I may have been in a number of these places darling, but despite the chaos, the Devil’s Casino was the most awe-inspiring of them all. I couldn’t resist going in to see what was there.”

Lillia then asked, “Were the members of the King’s Court there when you arrived or not really?”

King Dice laughed, “They were, but they also played a major part in the disorganization of the place! All of them were jockeying for the position of Devil’s Right Hand. I didn’t know what it was about, but when I started asking them, they ended up betting that they could defeat me.”

Lillia’s eyes widened, “You managed to wallop every single one of your Court members?”

King Dice grinned, “Exactly, Lily! Thanks to my poor circumstances, I did have to learn to fight, but by the time I got to Inkwell Hell and the Devil’s Casino, I was able to put some more finesse into my fighting style. As for these bets the Court placed? If I won, they’d support me for the position, but if I lost, I’d have to support the one who defeated me. Not sure why, but they seemed to have assumed that I was already working there. Might’ve been the yellow suit I wore.”

Lillia was surprised, “Wait, yellow suit?”

King Dice laughed, “Yes, it was yellow!”

Lillia inquired, “How’s the switch from yellow to purple happen?”

King Dice waved a finger, “I’ll get to that.”

Lillia nodded. King Dice then continued, “After I bested all nine of the Court, they seemed to head off somewhere. With nothing better to do, I decided to look around and came across the one gamble that I never experienced in my life up to then: the Craps table.”

Lillia exclaimed, “Wait, wasn’t that the same thing that resulted in Cuphead and Mugman’s adventure?”

King Dice chuckled, “Yeah, it was that table. In all honesty, I was surprised to find myself on a winning streak. Just before I was ready to stop though, that was when he appeared.”

Lillia then asked, “The Devil himself?”

King Dice nodded, “He seemed impressed, but also surprised. Figured that I wasn’t part of the Court.”

However, King Dice’s smile faded as he sighed, “That night ended up being the biggest loss I ever experienced.”

Lillia then asked, “What happened?”

King Dice then answered, “The Devil offered me a chance to get all the casino’s loot if I win one last roll, but if I lost, he’d take my soul. I first asked him what the managers - the Court members - were talking about when they mentioned Devil’s Right Hand Man. He laughed and said that I’ll get my answer, win or lose. All I needed to do was take the gamble. So I did, both because I was certain of victory and so that I can finally get answers.”

Lillia then asked, “Was it Snake eyes?”

King Dice nodded, “Yes. I bet on Pass, but Snake Eyes is a win for Don’t Pass. The one who offered me the bet, who I realized was the owner, the Devil himself, laughed when it came up. Before I could beg for mercy as the realization of what I put on the line sunk in, he grabbed me by the bow tie and dragged me to an area that was off-limits to everyone else. There, he explained to me about what the Devil’s Right Hand Man thing was about. He offered me a choice: either I could lose my head, accept the position voluntarily, or take one chance at freedom.”

Lillia then asked, “What was that chance?”

King Dice’s face was serious as he replied, “If I could defeat him in battle, he would let me the chance to go free. However, if I lost, then he would decide what to do with me. I was sure that I could handle a fight, so I took the chance.”

He sighed, “I was horribly wrong. The Devil with his trident was able to wallop me so thoroughly I was afraid I was going to die. Forcing me to look in his eyes, the Boss thought a while on what he was going to do. I felt tortured by the silence. Eventually he came to his decision: he was going to let me live, but now I was bound to the job of managing the casino. Couldn’t leave even if I wanted to. He made me sign a contract to seal the deal, and after I signed it, my suit turned purple. Luckily for me, I grew to like the job, and things seemed to have gotten a lot more successful under my management, but then those two…”

Lillia quietly nodded, “Those two ended up causing things to go downhill again?”

King Dice replied, “Exactly, darling. I’m afraid that I’m starting to reach my wit’s end. Nothing seems to be getting people to come back here. I tried reorganizing the mess. I tried renovating the place. I tried adding in non-gambling games and activities to see if that could get people to return, but nothing’s working.”

Lillia seemed to have been distracted, “Wait, non-gambling games? You mean something like an arcade?”

King Dice laughed, “Yeah, but it wasn’t easy. Sadly, the only ones that seem to be using the things are the Boss and I for making sure they work properly and competing with each other on that dance one.”

Lillia smiled, “If I get the chance, I should take a look at that part of the Casino. I b- ahem - I wonder if I could potentially draw attention to this.”

King Dice laughed at the fact that she purposefully stopped herself from saying ‘I bet’ but still asked, “Just what do you think you can do?”

Lillia replied, “I’m doing these interviews for Inkwell Island One’s paper. If you’re okay with me sharing everything you told me tonight, then I’ll try to get this article published and perhaps word of it might give people reason to take a look at the arcade.”

King Dice chuckled, “How considerate of you, darling. Alright, I’ll accept your deal. Good luck getting it published though.”

Lillia tilted her head in confusion, but she then noted, “But before I try to make these articles a reality, I’d like to interview your boss if that’s alright.”

King Dice laughed, “Are you kidding me, Lily? Last I checked, he was itching for a chance to see ya, darling!”

Standing up, King Dice then said, “Head to the side entrance. He should be there.”

Lillia stood up as well, “I will. Thank you so much for your time, Mr. King Dice!”

King Dice grinned, “Anytime, darling!”

As Lillia left, King Dice’s grin took a sinister tone as he whispered to Pirouletta, “I tell ya, that girl still manages to surprise me. But I know how this will end.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That whole thing about King Dice having Medium Awareness? I needed some explanation for the fact that he seems to be eating the cameras.  
> Also, since TVTropes noted King Dice as being a bit of a foil to Cuphead and Mugman, I thought it'd be fitting for his circumstances to somewhat parallel the Cup Brothers' situation as well.


	23. The Devil: "One Hell of a Time!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillia finally has a chance to interview the Devil of Inkwell Island. However, what would she have to resort to in order to ensure that she gets the answers, and is she really getting away with it, or does the Devil have an Ace up his sleeve that's about to be revealed?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is obvious, but Spoilers ahoy!

#  The Devil: “One Hell of a Time!”

Lillia headed outside the casino, glad to get some fresh air, but when she went around to the side entrance, she was surprised to find that it was still closed. She didn’t want to leave without getting a chance to speak to the Big Bad. After all, the Devil was the last one on the list of people she was seeking to interview.

With no real idea on what she was going to do, Lillia headed back inside. King Dice was naturally surprised as he asked, “Back so soon?”

Lillia shrugged, “Side entrance still closed. Think he’s asleep?”

King Dice shook his head, “Doubt it, Lily. Word had spread down here ‘bout your investigations and he seemed pretty excited. Just give it time. I’m sure the boss’ll show up.”

Lillia quietly nodded. True there were a number of patrons there despite what happened, but situations like this were those where the woman was perhaps a bit too shy to approach anyone. Taking a look around, she then spotted where the claw machines (and the non-gambling games that King Dice was talking about) were. One of the claw machines in particular caught her attention. In that machine were plushies… that looked an awful lot like those who were involved in the incident - at least one of each character. Lillia looked at her coin purse, which had plenty of coins that she never really used (a number of which she gathered wherever she could, since she ended up going through the Run and Gun stages during her dashes to the interviews). With a smile on her face, she had an idea on how to pass the time. After all, wasn’t it through taking part that the Cup brothers got the Devil to show up? Besides, she knew some tricks when it comes to claw machines.

At first, she decided to just go for the plushie that was easiest to reach, which, to her disappointment, was one of Beppi the Clown (probably still remembered what happened when she tried to interview him). She figured that it was getting in the way of other plushies though. However, she caught on that the string on that claw seemed to be short enough that stuff at the very bottom might not be reachable. Since no one took notice of her playing there yet, not even King Dice, Lillia smirked as she carefully removed the yellow hair ribbon. After all, by this point in time, she had been able to control the ribbons without needing to hold them. After checking to make sure no one was looking, she sent the ribbon flying through the machine to extend the claw’s reach if needed. To her relief, the color of the cord matched so no one would really notice. With that, she decided to go for it. As Lillia was starting to empty out the machine though, Mr. Chimes began banging his cymbals to get King Dice’s attention. Taking notice of how Lillia was using angles to make sure the claw lined up with the plushie she was aiming at, he then exclaimed, “Hot dawg! Seems like this lady can’t lose!”

Lillia, who was still trying to calm down after having seen plushies of Cuphead and Mugman (and the latter being the one she just grabbed), was a little startled as she turned to face King Dice. Before she could say anything, a newcomer laughed, “Nice run, my dear.”

She turned around and gasped. It was the Devil himself! He then suggested with a toothy grin, “How about we raise the stakes?”

Lillia’s heart pounded, “Raise the stakes? What do you mean?”

The Devil boomed, “If you can get that last plushie, all the loot in my casino is yours! But if you lose, I’ll have your soul! Deal?”

Lillia shook her head, “Actually, I wasn’t here for the loot. I came because I was hoping to ask you some questions.”

The Devil chuckled, “Ah yes, Lillia G. Morgana, was it?”

Lillia’s eyes widened, “How did you know my name?”

With a grin, the Devil then said, “How about this: if you can empty out that machine you’ve been working through, then I’ll answer all your questions, but if you lose, then your soul is mine. Deal?”

King Dice then whispered, “I don’t know, boss. I get the feeling that she may have pulled some shenanigans earlier.”

The Devil whispered back too quietly for Lillia to hear, “Don’t blow your wig, Dice. Win or lose, even if she cheated, it’ll play into our hands.”

Lillia looked at the machine and grinned. But her smile faded when she remembered that she had to check to see if she even HAD a coin left. Luckily for her, there was one coin left. Flipping the coin which landed on tails, Lillia then said, “You’re on, Devil of Inkwell.”

Lillia checked the machine and saw the plushie that was left was a Devil Plushie. To her relief, the plushie was in a good position for her to grab it. When she made her attempt, the claw seemed like it was going to drop it in an instant, but the ribbon was able to keep the grip on the plushie. To the Devil’s shock, the plushie fell into the chute. She did it. Conveniently for Lillia, the ribbon she inserted slipped out with the Devil Plushie making it easy for her to retrieve it without shenanigans. As she picked up the Devil plushie, she face-palmed and quietly laughed, “I’m not sure what I’m going to do with all these plushies!”

The Devil clapped and said, “I don’t know how you did it, Lily, but you managed to beat the odds.”

He asked her to meet him at the side entrance when she was ready. Lillia nodded. As the Devil headed off, King Dice then glared, “I know how you did it, but why?”

Lillia sighed, “Trust me, I didn’t want to have to resort to that either. However, I believe that knowledge is important, and getting a chance to learn a side of the story that would’ve been impossible to get otherwise was too important for me to take chances with an otherwise rigged machine.”

Picking out some of the many plushies and putting them in her bag, Lillia then said, “Maybe I should just let you keep the rest of those plushies. There’s no way I can carry them all.”

King Dice looked at the pile of plushies and deduced which ones she took: Cuphead, Mugman, King Dice, Devil, Hilda Berg, Baroness Von Bon Bon, Cala Maria, and Grim Matchstick. He sighed as he started picking up the other plushies that she left behind. After all, someone had to put them back, right?

Meanwhile, Lillia was holding the Devil Plushie with a bit of a grin on her face. She felt that she outsmarted the Devil and thus was able to get the answers she sought. But before she stepped inside, she thought a moment. After all, she wanted to make sure that she had all of her questions ready so that she didn’t waste the opportunity. Taking a deep breath, she jotted down notes on the questions she wanted to ask, then went inside.

Inside that side building, she felt a little uneasy seeing the Devil sit upon his throne. The Devil then said, “So Lily, I assume you have questions to ask.”

Lillia gulped, “Yes, but oh, where to start?”

The Devil smiled, “Take your time.”

Lillia then asked, “I’m sorry if this is a heavy one off the bat, but in one of my earlier interviews, I heard mention of angels. Do you happen to know anything about that matter?”

The Devil seemed to glare an icy glare and Lillia felt as though her legs froze. The Devil then frowned, “You love looking into the deep stuff, don’t you? Yes, I know about those angels. In fact, I was once one of them before I fell. Pfft...”

Before Lillia could say anything, the Devil snarled, “Those feathered fiends don’t even recognize the fact that they’re ready to commit just as much of a sin as they accused me of. Plotting to impose the Hay’s Code on Inkwell Isle to get everyone to ‘behave’. That’s heavy-duty censorship right there!”

Lillia gasped and was clearly in disbelief, “Seriously? Why would they do that?”

The Devil scoffed, “The Big Guy that the angels work for needs people to believe in him in order to maintain his presence. However, as mortals both in and out of Inkwell Isle started to develop new ideas, a number of them stopped believing in Him. The angels saw the activities that mortals were engaged in and decided on a list of those that they deemed sinful. From that, they developed the Hay’s Code. There are lands a good distance away from Inkwell Isle where this Code has already been imposed, in part because those lands were both the testing grounds and because they were more vulnerable to angel influence. I saw what happened to those lands and was disgusted by them. While I can understand things like gambling getting deemed sinful, those fools never thought about the issues that arise with the whole nonsense of prominent women being seen either as damsel in distress princesses or villainous stepmothers or some other nonsense like that! Can you believe it?”

Lillia was trying to keep her composure, but the Devil could tell by her shaking and the look on her face that she was equally disgusted. The Devil then said, “For that and other reasons, I ultimately decided to rebel. War broke out in the Heavens, but my forces weren’t strong enough. We were banished to the Underworld, the True Hell, and the angels hoped to prevent my return by imposing the Hay’s Code on the rest of world. However, there were a number of places that had reasons to oppose the Code. While some of my closest allies, the Dark Nobles of the Underworld, took to other places in order to secure multiple routes to the surface, I personally took to Inkwell Isle’s route, despite the fact that the major ‘Sin’ of this island is Greed and I normally was seen for Pride or Wrath.”

Lillia then asked, “Dark Nobles? If you’re referring to who I think you’re referring to, are they also called Dark Princes? And why is it that you took to this land despite the mismatch?”

First the Devil grinned, “No reason to keep a lady who proves herself out of the circle. Not every demon is a guy, you know.”

Lillia nodded. However, she was surprised when the Devil looked legitimately sad as he added, “As for why I went here? That was because of all the Dark Nobles, Mammon, the Dark Noble of Greed and my original Right Hand Man, died trying to protect me from the angels. I searched all over, but could never locate his soul… at least, not for a while.”

Lillia then spoke, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

The Devil let out a ‘heh’ before adding, “But by now, I found his soul. He was apparently reborn as a mortal.”

Lillia was surprised, “Reborn as a mortal? Wait… could it be… King Dice?!”

The Devil grinned, “You’re a sharp one, Lily! Yes, Dice was the one who seemed to have had Mammon’s soul. I just couldn’t bring myself to end the life of the one who was once my closest friend in a past life.”

Lillia smiled, “I heard some gossip about the relation between you and King Dice being closer than that of employer and employee. Would you care to elaborate on that?”

The Devil laughed and replied after leaning closer, “I would, except I think it might become a bit too naughty for the article you’re writing.”

Lillia leaned back a little when the Devil leaned closer, and she blushed at the implications of what he was saying. She finally said, “O~kay. I won’t press that matter. T-to get back on topic, Just what is it that you were planning to where you were attempting to gather the souls of basically everyone on Inkwell Isle?”

The Devil gave Lillia some space again as he grinned, “It’s really simple, my dear. I plan to strike back against those angels and liberate those lands from the Hay’s Code. It’s one thing for the surface to voluntarily choose to be more prudent, but the angels violated a law that would’ve otherwise bound them. That law being that they are not supposed to invoke a widespread attack on the surface, and this Hay’s Code counts as such. However, after losing the war in the Heavens and barely driving the angels off of Inkwell Isle before they could conquer the place, I realized that I need an army. An army of capable fighters and soldiers that can go toe to toe with angels. By taking the souls of those who made their deals with me, I can give those souls new bodies that aren’t easy to destroy. And unlike the Dark Nobles, these souls won’t have a glaring weakness that the angels can exploit. And yet…”

Lillia was confused, “And yet what? Sir?”

The Devil smiled, “Sometimes, but rarely, a mortal shows up who appears powerful enough that they can take on angels even without my direct intervention. I know for a fact that Cuphead and Mugman are two such people who can do it. I know especially after they defeated me.”

Lillia was confused, “Weren’t you upset when that happened?”

The Devil pouted, “Of course, I was upset! This was something I realized only after the fact!”

Lillia flinched, “I’m sorry. Still, this sounds like pretty intense stuff. Not to mention the huge scandal that is the idea that the angels aren’t all they appear to be. But who are these other Dark Nobles?”

The Devil grinned, “Don’t be sorry. I’m honestly grateful for the fact that you’re willing to hear me out. I never really had the chance to tell anyone besides King Dice, and even then, no one from outside Inkwell Hell’s circle ever came down to hear me out. As for the other Dark Nobles, they represent other major Sins: I already mentioned Greed, but there’s also Gluttony, Envy, Sloth, Lust, and Despair.”

Lillia then asked, “Despair’s one of them? And were you pulling double for Pride and Wrath?”

The Devil smiled, “Yes, but I have allowed a lesser ranked demon who represents vanity help out for Pride, and another lesser ranked demon is managing the area designated for Wrath while I deal with the matters here. As for the demon representing Despair, that would be Mephistopheles. Gotta hand it to him, he seems to have figured out how to handle deals like I have. Might have to worry about him becoming a rival one day!”

Lillia was about to inquire, but she stopped when she heard the Devil laugh. Seems like something he wasn’t concerned about. However, there was a question that she only thought of in light of this new information, and so she decided to ask that one. She questioned, “Have you ever thought about trying to tell Inkwell Isle at large about this? Perhaps it’s possible to get an alliance with the surface against the Heavens if it comes down to it.”

The Devil replied with a toothy grin, “I would have considered it. In fact, Belphoger, the Demon of Sloth, decided to attempt it in order to avoid going through with active recruitment. However~, it’s impossible to get that going on Inkwell Isle now. Nobody will believe me and the press won’t be inclined to publish anything that paints my cause as sympathizable. And slipping such an article as one focused on King Dice won’t help, as Inkwell Isle’s not too keen on anything that would paint my Right Hand Man and I in a positive light.”

Lillia smirked, “I bet I could get these two articles published somehow!”

The Devil’s eyes lit up and looked like he had stars in them, “I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you’ve written, Lily. Anything else you need to know?”

Lillia shook her head, “No, I think I’m good. Thank you so much for taking the time to tell your story, sir. It’s been a true honor.”

The Devil grinned, “Thank you for taking the time to listen. I’ve never seen anyone outside of those close to me choose to hear my story with the fascination that you have. Come back anytime!”

Lillia laughed, “I’ll have to think about it! See ya!”

With that, she raced off to head back home. Once she was far enough out of earshot, King Dice stepped out from the shadows where he was listening the whole time. The Devil soon roared in laughter, “This is it, Dice! We’re so close now!”

King Dice grinned, “She finally let her guard down. Who would’ve thought that this one little thing Mephistopholes on that parchment would’ve actually been coming true?”

The Devil replied, “And nobody on Inkwell Isle knows of this.”

King Dice then remarked, “Still, considering how unusual her actions have been compared to the rest of Inkwell Isle, isn’t it possible that she might end up winning this bet?”

The Devil smirked, “Don’t blow your wig, Dice. If she does get it published, that’ll open up the way to get sympathizers to join our cause, and if she can’t, then you know what’s going to happen with her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is the best time to clarify something that's going on: The Devil's manipulating Lillia. He's trying to get her to join his team, but is changing his tactics compared to when he was trying to get Cuphead and Mugman to work for him. Remember that business wasn't doing well for him after losing to the Cup brothers. The Devil understands that he may have to take a different approach if he plans to recover and thinks that Lillia might give him that opportunity.


	24. Interlude: "Race against the Clock"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillia has finally gotten all of her interviews done. Now she has to try and get them published, but can she do it?

#  Interlude: “Race against the Clock”

Lillia raced out of the casino with a wide smile. ‘I did it!’ she thought to herself, ‘I managed to interview the Devil himself and get out without losing my soul! Now I just need to put the articles together, get them published, and-’

The woman’s smile vanished as horror sunk in. She let her guard down! With a face palm, Lillia cursed, “Darn it! Why’d I have to be such a big mouth?! ‘I bet I could get these two articles published somehow!’ Gods, I’m such a fool!”

King Dice was about to approach to talk to her about it, but she raced off shouting something about the risk of her losing her soul before he could speak up. Realizing what was going on, the man in the purple suit smirked as he went back to tell his boss about what he saw. The Devil then grinned, “So she realized that her soul’s on the line by herself? At least that makes it easier.”

King Dice then replied, “Yes, but should we put her on a time limit?”

The Devil laughed, “Nah! If things haven’t changed, then we won’t have to put any pressure on her whatsoever! Just watch for the moment she gives up, Dice. THAT is when we’ll have her!”

Back home in Inkwell Island 1, Lillia furiously worked through much of the night trying to write up the articles related to the interviews she made. Out of shame, she made sure not to mention the bet she accidentally made. It took a few days for her to get everything written out to the quality she was aiming for with her articles. After all, this would be the first time she had her name on the list of writers, having previously only done work that didn’t require her to head outside the office before. She wanted to make sure that people would be interested, especially with her article on the Devil. She thought, ‘Geez! Something of this magnitude is a global event! There’s NO WAY that Mr. Presston could pass this up, could he?’

After taking a moment to rest and making copies of her articles just in case, Lillia felt ready. She returned to the paper on Island 1 and presented to Mr. Presston the articles she prepared. At first, everything seemed to be going well, and he seemed impressed with her writing. However, his smile faded when he saw that she really did it; she really did interview King Dice and the Devil and wrote articles on the matter. Mr. Presston shook his head, “Lillia, I can’t.”

Lillia’s eyes widened, “You can’t?”

Mr. Presston glared, “Have you thought about how Inkwell Island would react if they saw that someone in the paper actually listened to what those villains had to say? I have a reputation to maintain in this place. Besides, have you ever taken the time to cross-reference your sources to make sure that those two weren’t lying to you?”

Lillia then remarked, “Can’t these articles be used to start a conversation or investigation into the matter? The crew of The Phantom Express mentioned angels as well, but they seem reluctant to say more on the matter. I think-”

Lillia stopped when Mr. Presston cut her off by yelling, “I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU THINK! EITHER DROP THIS DEVIL DICE NONSENSE OR WE’RE NOT PUBLISHING YOUR ARTICLES!!!”

Lillia clutched the bag she held and gritted her teeth before she ran out of the office. Hilda Berg barely missed Lillia and when she asked about what was going on, Mr. Presston simply handed Hilda the bundle of articles to read. Anger gave way to panic as Lillia raced towards Inkwell Island 2, hoping that either the paper there or the one on Inkwell Island 3 would be willing to consider publishing her articles. What she failed to see as she ran was that Cuphead and Mugman were playing nearby and saw her race off. The brothers looked at each other and then at the direction Lillia was running worriedly. After all, the way she was in such a hurry was awfully reminiscent of how they were racing back to Elder Kettle when the Devil had them do his dirty work. Mugman exclaimed, “Do you really think she’s gotten into trouble, Cup?”

Cuphead replied, “It’s gotta be that, Mug! From the rumored sightings of King Dice around when Hilda mentioned that woman starting her investigation to how she seemed panicked just now - she’s probably trying to get herself out of trouble!”

Mugman then asked, “But what are we supposed to do?”

Cuphead then said, “We better ask the staff there about what’s going on. Maybe they’ll listen to us.”

As the two were heading towards the paper, Mugman then asked, “Could it be that prophecy that was in the scroll, Cup?”

Cuphead then said, “I’d hate to say this, Mug, but it might be. If it is though, then I’m afraid I don’t know if it is possible to help her out of this mess.”

Meanwhile, Lillia tried to remain calm as she submitted her articles to Inkwell Island 2’s paper, but just like with Island 1, the head of the paper refused to publish her articles relating to Inkwell Hell. When the girl with the yellow ribbons raced to Inkwell Island 3’s paper, the answer was again a rejection. This time, Lillia tried to point out that the other papers refused to publish those articles and that this one could perhaps use them to show off a boldness that the other papers lack, along with the idea that this was a story that was on the global stage - something that rarely happens on Inkwell Isle. At that, however, the head of the paper accused her of playing Devil’s Advocate, saying that if such articles were published, that would only cause more people to fall into the Devil’s claws leading them back to where they were before Cuphead and Mugman saved them. Before Lillia could protest, she was kicked out of the building, literally.

Wiping tears from her face, Lillia told herself that she couldn’t give up. This was a must-win battle. After all, her soul was on the line. She failed to notice that she left her last copy of her articles behind as she dashed off. King Dice picked up the bundle and decided to read them himself before giving them to his boss.

Meanwhile, the Devil smirked with delight. After what felt like a long time, a new soul would finally come into his service. He was certain of it. When he saw King Dice return, he asked, “Back so soon, Dice?”

King Dice handed his boss the articles as he replied, “Lillia left these behind. Seems like she’s getting desperate to look for someone who would publish them. All three papers rejected her work.”

As the Devil was glancing through the articles while smoking, he grinned, “Say Dice, think you can figure out what we could do with a potential author?”

King Dice was a bit surprised as he replied, “Sure, but what if Cupface and his brother get involved?”

The Devil laughed, “They won’t be able to get to her in time. I’m going to pay Lily a visit, tonight!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's just say: It's all gotten back to bite her.  
> Also, before you ask about that line of "Devil Dice nonsense" - Lillia did not write anything that ships King Dice and the Devil in her articles beyond any information stated in the interviews.


	25. Lillia G. Morgana: "Devil's Advocate"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finale has come. What is the fate of Lillia G. Morgana?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers ahead!

#  Lillia G. Morgana: “Devil’s Advocate”

Night fell. Lillia had been searching all over all three islands, but nobody was going to give her the chance to publish her work. She visited Grim like she promised at the end of her interview with the dragon, but it did little to help her mood. All she told him was that she couldn’t get her articles published. She was surprised that she didn’t have any copies with her when she tried to pull them out, but Grim mentioned that he was sure that she’d be able to find something that they’d be okay with publishing. Thanking him for it, Lillia headed off, saying that she had to go to sleep. However, instead of going back to Island 1, Lillia dashed towards Island 3, thinking that she left her papers there. However, she barely stepped inside the Die House to catch her breath when she gasped. Blocking her way to Island 3 was none other than the Devil himself. She attempted to back up and get to the door, but she saw that it was somehow locked.

The Devil grinned, “So, Lily, how’s it been going?”

Lillia looked down at the ground. The Devil smirked, for he could tell by her expression that she lost, but didn’t want to admit defeat yet. Trying to sound concerned, he asked, “Is something bothering you?”

Lillia sighed before looking back at the demon and admitted, “No luck. Seems like despite my efforts, I couldn’t convince them to publish them.”

The Devil barely got out a “Ha!” before Lillia pleaded, “Is there no other way to repay you for the lost bet?”

The Devil smirked, “I actually saw your articles. You’ve got some skills, kid. Meet me at the casino and we can discuss this further.”

With that, he vanished again. Lillia looked back, but sighed in defeat. She didn’t even bother checking the door to see if it was unlocked. If she had, then she would’ve found out that Cuphead and Mugman were trying to get it open themselves despite having to fight off waves of the Devil’s imp minions. As it was, Lillia snuck through Island 3 to make her way down to Inkwell Hell again. This time, the woman’s heart sank at what was bound to happen. Seemed like her own curiosity betrayed her to this, and no hero was going to come and save her. As Lillia got closer, she sighed. Taking a deep breath, she decided that she might as well keep her dignity as long as she could.

When she got to the casino entrance, King Dice smirked as he let her step inside. He was surprised that she didn’t seem to be showing the usual signs of someone who just lost to the Devil big time, but he was sure that she was hiding it. After all, he heard from some of the Devil’s imps that she was actually crying at one point because of this gamble she made.

When Lillia stepped inside, she coughed due to the smell of smoke and alcohol filling the place. Par for the course for The Devil’s Casino, but she was never fond of it. That was part of why she always avoided that place before that day, even without her father’s warnings. It seemed like the King’s Court was back in action, but despite the small talk, Lillia was getting nervous. Finally, she turned to King Dice and asked, “Have you seen the Devil? He said that he wanted me to come here to discuss the matter of that lost bet.”

“I did,” the Devil said right behind her. Lillia nearly squeaked in fright as she turned around, her composure faltering. The Devil then said, “I see you’ve become acquainted with the King’s Court. Come, this way, Lily.”

Lillia (who didn’t mind the nickname Lily which is why she never corrected anyone who called her that) followed, for what other choice did she have? She may have had to fight some of the debtors due to misunderstandings and endure King Dice’s Boss Bonanza before she could properly interview him, but she didn’t think she was able to fight the Devil himself.

When she was told to take a seat, Lillia sat down hesitantly. She was honestly getting unnerved with how The Devil seemed to be trying to get her to feel a little bit comfortable despite the situation since he asked one of his imps to get some water. Lillia was certain that he was trying to get her to become a willing servant of his. To her surprise, the first thing the Devil asked was, “Why did they reject your articles?”

After taking a moment to think back, Lillia replied while trying hard not to frown, “They seemed to be worried that publishing those articles would only encourage people to fall into your hands, sir. Heck, one of them even accused me of being a Devil’s Advocate!”

Lillia quickly covered her mouth when she realized that she raised her voice, but The Devil roared in laughter, “They accused you of being my advocate when you were just curious?”

After calming down, the Devil asked Lillia why she decided to interview him and Dice in the first place. Lillia responded, “I personally think that all sides of a conflict should have at least one chance for their voice to be heard. I didn’t think it’d be fair if I left you and King Dice out when I set out to interview everyone else.”

The Devil remarked, “But you never got to interviewing the Cup brothers. Why’s that?”

Lillia remarked, “They say history is written by the winners. Besides, others have been trying to interview those two as well. Their story is well known by now, so I wanted to look into the parts that weren’t discussed. To answer the question of why. That kind of thing.”

With a toothy grin, The Devil spoke, “Perhaps there is a way for you to get your voice heard.”

With a motion, he started to lead her to another part of the area. This was unfamiliar to Lillia for it didn’t look like part of the casino. When the two stepped inside the building (which confused Lillia since the outside looked like a modest castle of a kind), Lillia gasped. Inside that place seemed to be everything she would need to potentially kickstart her career. Plenty of ink and paper - a printing press - Lillia even saw what looked like a small computer like device (something that she was sure only those like Dr. Kahl and her late father would be familiar with). Seemed like there were also some beings there that seemed to be animated like the King’s Court but without the gambling themes. Heck, it looked like some of the non-gambling games that King Dice mentioned got moved here, and one of those dance game machines had been installed (Lillia could tell that it wasn’t the same as the one in the Casino because the one in the Casino had four arrows going up, down, left and right, whereas the one installed in the workshop had the four diagonals plus a fifth button in the middle). Lillia rubbed her eyes to make sure that she wasn’t imagining it. The Devil then asked, “Impressed?”

Lillia nodded, “Very. How’d you get this set up so quickly?”

The Devil laughed, “King Dice did much of the hard work on this workshop actually. He was actually the one who suggested installing these games here. And all of this could be yours to use.”

Lillia’s mind snapped back to reality at the word could. She then asked, “Wait, what’s the catch, and would it allow me to repay that debt?”

The Devil grinned, “Eager, aren’t we?”

Pulling out a parchment (the same kind of parchment that the Soul contracts were made of, which caused Lillia to gulp because she was certain that only the fires of the Underworld could destroy it if it came down to that) and quill, he simply replied, “All you need to do is sign this, and you will be able to repay the debt from that lost bet and you’ll have full access to this workshop.”

Lillia gingerly took the two items, but she wanted to look over the contract to understand the details first, and she made sure to read the fine print as well. As far as she could tell, her soul wasn’t on the price tag, but it did require her to serve the Devil for a term of two months minimum. She decided to ask about what sort of work he was expecting her to do. The Devil smiled and said, “While I might need you to help out in the casino, I mainly am hoping to see if you could perhaps use your writing to perhaps encourage people to come back here.”

Lillia thought a moment. She checked over it again to make sure that she didn’t miss any loophole that could be abused against her. She was honestly surprised at the flexibility he was offering her when it came to what she needed to do. Upon realizing that there didn’t seem to be any nasty tricks, Lillia smiled and shrugged, “I guess I could’ve suffered worse fates than this.”

To the Devil’s delight, she ultimately signed it. But she then exclaimed, “Wait! Won’t they start to recognize me and thus trouble might come?”

The Devil grinned, “We’ll discuss those technical issues tomorrow. For now, you should get some rest.”

With that, he left the workshop. Lillia looked around and was able to find a bedroom hidden on the second floor. She had a feeling that she was going to have to stay there for the duration of her sentence. Even despite this, she already felt that something was changing. She looked at the ribbons that had helped her this far, only to see that they somehow changed from yellow to orange in color. She could feel that other aspects were changing, but she didn’t feel it twist her mind. In fact, if the Devil stuck around, he would’ve noticed that Lillia’s eyes were still the same dark brown that they were even before this. She may be serving the Devil now, but she wasn’t turned demonic yet.

Meanwhile, King Dice was waiting for his boss to come back with word on the situation. Upon seeing the Devil, the manager bowed and grinned, “I can tell things seem to be in your favor, boss.”

The Devil replied with a toothy grin, “We got her, Dice. She agreed to work her for the two months listed on the contract.”

King Dice was surprised, “Just two months? Not the usual eternal service?”

The Devil smirked, “Trying a different approach, Dice. If we give her the impression of being able to return to where she came from after some time passes, then she might grow to like her new job and thus choose to stay on our side voluntarily.”

King Dice grinned, “Clever. Making a true Devil’s Advocate out of her, boss?”

The Devil smiled, “That’s the plan, Dice.”

King Dice then questioned, “But how are we going to keep others from trying to rescue her?”

The Devil whispered the plan to King Dice who grinned at the deviousness of it.

The next day, as Lillia woke up with a stomach growling and putting on her glasses only to see that a mask materialized over it, she ended up finding a paper waiting for her. It was from the Inkwell Island papers. Lillia looked over it and was shocked. A report that she was dead? She was in such disbelief that she couldn’t help but find it funny as she exclaimed, “What an elaborate cover up story!”

Still, as Lillia was reading it, she ended up realizing that there was at least one person who found it fishy: Jonathan Bluestone, the same Jonathan that was helping her out despite his penchant for flirting. Realizing that there was someone who was hurt by her absence, Lillia decided to pen a letter to Jonathan. In it, she explained that she can’t give details on what’s happened, but that she hopes that she’ll be able to see him again. Taking the letter to the surface, Lillia lucked out in that a little bird that could deliver her message flew by. After the bird flew off with the letter in tow, Lillia dashed back into Inkwell Hell to ensure that nobody down there got suspicious. After all, this might prove to be a long two months as is. She wouldn’t want that sentence extended if she could help it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may have noticed the fact that the contract mentioned a minimum but no maximum? The Devil did that on purpose as a trick. Lillia failed to recognize that he could use that clause to just extend the terms to no end.  
> Also, I know that some people are ready to ask about if Lillia could fight the Devil and win. To answer that question: yes. By that point in time, Lillia is strong enough to fight the Devil thanks to all those boss fights that she had to go through (almost became a case of Nice Job Fixing it, King Dice!). However, she doesn't think she's strong enough to do so. If The Devil had threatened anyone Lillia cared about, then she would've fought to save the others, but he managed to avoid that.  
> Speaking of which, Lillia and Jonathan are just friends, but I did imagine that the two possibly would enter a relationship.  
> (Edit: Okay, I was working on a sequel to this story, but I gotta say this here. I don't think Lillia and Jonathan are likely to be more than friends simply because of how things have turned out. To explain more would be spoilers)  
> Regarding the matter of Jonathan Bluestone's last name, I was originally going to use Redgrave as a reference to Luka Redgrave of Bayonetta, but I decided to go with a different name, but that was an inspiration for Jonathan's last name.  
> One thing about the usage of the term Devil's Advocate, I think the term's been used literally instead of accurately.


End file.
